Wild Hunt
by Author Nicholas Drew
Summary: Sometimes, all that is needed to change history is a single moment. When an unexpected arrival ruins Cinder's plans to destroy Beacon, history is changed and Team RWBY finds themselves together instead of divided. However, they also discover that the darkness of Remnant goes beyond the one named Salem.
1. Chapter 1: The Moment Things Change

**RWBY: Wild Hunt**

 **Chapter 1: The Moment Things Change**

" _It is both wonderful and terrifying to think that a single moment can alter the course of history. It is why we as humans must always carefully consider every choice we make. There's no telling what path we'll end up on as a result."_ -Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy

Her plans were now on the brink of success. All Cinder Fall needed to do now was lay the final nail in the coffin, and all those who were watching the battle between Pyrrha Nikos and the now-deceased Penny Polendina, and the visceral results of said battle would be drowned in enough despair to attract four armies worth of Grimm. So, she began speaking into her scroll, broadcasting her message from a rooftop in Beacon.

"This is not a tragedy." She began. "This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians, but are in reality nothing more than men. Our academies' headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both."

Cinder wanted to chuckle. She could already feel the despair in the air. This would definitely be one hell of a party, as Mercury would put it. She continued her speech. "They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference. And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First, a dismemberment, now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy, yet I have witnessed neither."

Cinder was starting to revel in her latest victory in her plan. She continued to pile on the despair for those baring witness. "Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets. Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong, but I know that the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves. As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is equally undesirable."

And with that, Cinder delivered one final question: one that hammered that final nail. "Our kingdoms are at the brink of war, yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark. So, I ask you, when the first shots are fired, who do you think you can trust?"

And so, with those final words, Cinder disconnected her scroll, ending her broadcast. She wanted to let out another victorious chuckle, but she knew that it was not over yet. She still needed to track down where they were keeping the Fall Maiden and steal the last bits of her power. But first, she would wait for Mercury and Emerald to return from the stadium. Mercury needed to film everything that happened, and Emerald would be needed to conceal their presence so nobody caught them. In other words, everything was going according to plan now, but things would have to continue as such if Cinder wanted to gain everything she wanted.

Of course, Cinder was confident things would work out. Everything was going perfectly. Everyone was now scrambling to try to figure out what was going on and would soon be in chaos as the Grimm attacked them. Nothing would stand in her way.

Funny thing about fate, she's a cruel mistress. In some scenarios, she will give you exactly what you want. In other scenarios, however, she'll throw something else into play that completely changes fate.

Professor Ozpin once said that single moments can be all it took to alter history, and that was both amazing and terrifying. What made it even more so was that such power was in the hands of humanity. Sometimes, one man could singlehandedly alter the course of history with a single action.

Cinder would soon learn this the hard way as things started to not go according to plan. Her ears picked up the sound of steel rubbing against wood. At that moment, the evil Huntress instinctively dodged a downward swing from the blade of a katana. _A sneak attack?!_ Cinder thought, surprised that she had nearly been caught off guard. _Impossible! How could anyone have managed this?_

At that moment, Cinder got a good look at her assailant from behind. He was tall, but also young, with jet black hair. His body from the neck down was covered completely by a blue cloak. The woman's lips curled into a frown as she stared at her assailant. "You're a sneaky one," she commented, "who are you?"

At that moment, her assailant turned to face her. She now got a good look at his face. It was boyish, but it also showed a hint of maturity, the face of someone who was young, but also had experience. His eyes were blue, and also extremely cold, like Cinder was looking at two ice cubes.

Then he spoke to her, his voice calm, cold and focused. "My name isn't important." He told her in a voice that was just as cold as his features. "The only thing you need to know about me, is that I'm your enemy."

Cinder regained her composure and chuckled. "Well, now, such a rude boy you are." She chided playfully. "Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?"

The assailant's eyes seemed to grow colder as his lips now curled into a frown. "My mother is dead." He responded simply.

"And you will be too if you stay here much longer threatening me." Cinder told him. "I've come too far to be stopped by a sneaky little brat like yourself."

"Do you always taunt your opponents like this?" He inquired. "I'm not sure I like it."

"Oh trust me, I only do such things when my foes make such asinine attempts to strike me down from behind." Cinder noted before smiling in a mocking manner. "Still, I'll give you credit, you almost had me. If I were less experienced, you would've killed me. Tell me, how did you know where I was?"

The assailant gave her a deadpan expression. "You were standing on a rooftop out in the open. Everyone else may have been watching that fight, but I only recently got back into town. So, finding you was mere child's play."

Cinder frowned at this. "Gotta say, you didn't think that through." He continued.

Cinder's frowned deepened for a brief moment before regaining her composure once more. "Oh, I disagree," she said, "months…no! Years of planning, have all come together. Soon, Beacon and Ozpin will fall."

This made the assailant narrow his eyes dangerously. "Well, that won't do at all." He told her.

"And why is that?" Cinder inquired curiously.

"If you're going to threaten Professor Ozpin, Beacon, and everything it stands for, then you've gone and made yourself a personal enemy of mine. That means, I have to kill you." The assailant told her.

Cinder smirked arrogantly as she summoned her bow and arrow. "A bow and arrow that matches the description in Qrow's report, huh?" The assailant heaved a sigh. "I see, so you're the one who attacked the Fall Maiden."

"How irritating, you already seem to know me, and yet I don't seem to know about Ozpin's secret soldier." Cinder said playfully. "That upsets me. Although, if you do know that I'm the one who attacked the Fall Maiden, then you must know what I did to her. And that means, you must know what you're about to face off against."

"I do," the assailant admitted, pointing his katana at her, "and frankly, I don't care. Who we are in battle means absolutely nothing. All that truly matters is who's left standing at the end of the fight."

"I agree," Cinder said, "but having the power of one of the mightiest entities in the world certainly helps."

The assailant then surprised her by smirking. Even his smirks seemed cold and focused. "Last I heard…you only got half the power." He pointed out.

Cinder narrowed her eyes dangerously. She did not like being reminded of that minor setback in her nefarious plans. "Now you've definitely dug your grave, boy." She promised.

The assailant gazed at her with those cold blue eyes of his. Then, before Cinder could react, the assailant leapt at her with his katana held out horizontally. Cinder quickly summoned her twin blades and blocked his first strike, catching the blade between them. Cinder then ignited her heel in flames and threw a roundhouse kick that struck him in the shoulder.

Much to Cinder's surprise, the assailant did not even wince. _That kick should've burnt right through his aura._ Cinder thought to herself, immediately leaping back to put some distance between herself.

Cinder then dispersed a cloud of dust in front of her. Then, she quickly manipulated the dust into several sharp shards that she fired at the assailant telekinetically. The assailant scowled slightly before his eyes darted to each shard one by one. Much to the shock of Cinder, the assailant then swung his sword at speeds so incredible that only her eyes could keep up with them.

The katana then shattered the shard before any of them could impale him. Cinder quickly regained her composure and smirked as the pieces of glass moved around him. "Fool." She said calmly as smaller shards were formed from the little pieces of glass.

Before the swordsman could react, the shards impaled him from every side. At least they would have had they not shattered as soon as they came into contact with his protective Aura. "Quality over quantity," the assailant noted, "next time, don't summon so many smaller shards."

Cinder narrowed her eyes. _Damn, I miscalculated the strength of his defenses and overestimated the force from those smaller shards._

Cinder quickly brought her two metal blades together and created a bow out of them. She calmly fired an arrow made of Dust at him. The assailant easily avoided the first arrow, only to have a second arrow fired at him. This time, much to Cinder's surprise, the assailant caught the arrow by grabbing onto it with his bare hand, stopping it inches from his face.

"You gambled on catching it instead of blocking it?" Cinder was surprised.

"You're getting sloppy." The assailant noted. "If you wanted me to make a mistake like that, you should've fired the arrow at the start. So, tell me, are the powers of the Fall Maiden really so appealing that you're in a rush like this?"

Cinder could not help but chuckle at this. "You have no idea, boy."

The assailant quickly tossed the arrow aside before rushing Cinder, holding his katana. _He has the advantage in length with that katana, but I can maintain an advantage in range and versatility._ Cinder quickly noted, separating the bow into the two glass blades.

Cinder then summoned an orange and black circle between the two of them. The assailant narrowed his eyes for a brief moment, knowing that trouble was afoot. Cinder smirked arrogantly and caused the circle to explode as soon as the assailant was nearby. The assailant was pushed back by the shockwave.

Pressing the advantage she now had Cinder waved the blades about and sent several fireballs at the assailant, who recovered just in time to block all but one of them, but was forced to shield himself from the last one with his arm.

 _A direct hit!_ Cinder thought with a hint of glee. _Even his Aura can't shrug all of that fire off._

Then, much to Cinder's surprise, the assailant once again shrugged off one of her fire attacks and resumed his attempt at closing the gap. _Not once but twice? Damn, if I had more time to analyze his fighting abilities I'd know just what I'm up against! How in the world did I fail to account for this one?_

Cinder created another orange and black circle to try and catch him off guard with another explosion. This time, the assailant was ready and leapt into the air, avoiding the explosion. Cinder smirked confidently. _Wide open!_ She thought triumphantly, holding her bow horizontally and summoning three arrows before firing them all simultaneously.

Then, much to Cinder's surprise, the assailant held out the flat end of his katana and gracefully parried each arrow off course by rotating the blade and the arrows along with it as soon as the tips came into contact with the steel.

The assailant landed safely on the ground. _Such skill with a blade,_ she thought to herself, admittedly impressed with his skill, _but why is he not switching to any sort of long-ranged mode._

Cinder then got a good look at the blade. _It doesn't have any gun-based attachments?_ She was shocked when she realized that it was just a regular katana.

Cinder then regained her composure and took her bow apart into two blades once more. She quickly blocked the following vertical swing from the katana. Cinder then threw a high-heeled kick towards the assailant's chin, only to see him easily jump back, avoid the kick, and then immediately close the gap once more.

Cinder—much to her surprise—found herself on the defensive against this man's incredibly aggressive assault. All she could do now was block powerful swing after powerful swing from the assailant's normal katana. _There's no strategy behind his attacks._ She realized. _He's not trying to lead me into any traps or trying to move the fight at his own pace. He's simply trying to keep me from finding my own rhythm with the aggression of a wolf and the grace of a hawk!_

Cinder then regained her composure and smirked, seeing a certain twosome coming towards her. _However, I do have a trump card to play! Let's see your feral fighting style stand up to this!_

The assailant then heard the sound of wings flapping. He turned to see a Nevermore Grimm flying towards him. He narrowed his eyes in frustration at being interrupted in this fight. He turned away from Cinder and leapt away from her before she could attack him with his back turned.

Speedily, the assailant decapitated the Nevermore with incredible ease. However, almost immediately, something felt off to him. _Why does my mind and heart not race in response to my latest kill?_ He wondered. _Something's not right…_

Acting instinctively, the assailant surprised Cinder—who was currently trying to stab him in the back—with his next move. Suddenly, an aura of pure black flames appeared around the assailant as a sort of protective armor. Cinder was forced to leap back, worried that the flames could spell some sort of trouble for her.

Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black—who had moved in on opposite sides of the assailant, unnoticed, thanks to Emerald's illusion-based Semblance—were also forced to move away from the assailant, abandoning their sneak attack. With Emerald's focus now broken, the assailant watched as the illusion of the Nevermore crumbled away. He frowned slightly, noticing Emerald and Mercury for the first time.

"Oh, so that's it?" He muttered before tossing his katana into the air and then held both of his palms out in both Mercury and Emerald's faces.

"Oh…" Emerald began.

"…shit." Mercury finished as the assailant blasted them both with black flames, knocking them onto two other nearby buildings on opposite sides.

"Mercury! Emerald!" Cinder called out in concern before the assailant caught his katana and turned his attention back to her.

"I think I now see how you managed to catch the Fall Maiden off guard." The assailant noted. "How you managed to get away from Old Man Qrow."

With that, the assailant charged Cinder once more. Cinder leapt backwards and avoided what appeared to be a downward slash, only for the assailant to surprise her by driving his sword into the ground and using it to vault himself forward, closing the distance between them.

 _Damn!_ Cinder cursed. _A move like this? He's insane! I can't predict the moves of a crazy man!_

Then, much to Cinder's surprise, the assailant's entire forearm was ignited in black flames. The flames on his elbow acted as a sort of ignition as he threw a powerful haymaker aimed right at her face.

 _He's using the flames to act as an engine, increasing the punch's force!_ Cinder realized as she took one of the hardest punches she has felt in a long time.

Her face contorted into a pained look as she was knocked towards the edge of the roof. The assailant landed safely on the ground and brought his katana back up. "You know," he spoke up, "considering that you're the cause of all this, I honestly expected a bit more from you. Then again, people like you are only a threat when you've got the time to think. To plan things out. A lot of times, people don't get that luxury. That's why I fight with instinct."

Cinder was furious at the assailant for that statement. "Oh, am I disappointing you so far?" She said mockingly. "I suppose it can't be helped. I must admit, I definitely did not plan for you. Nobody told me a beast in the form of a man would just assault me out of nowhere."

"And considering how much you know about the Fall Maiden and Qrow Branwen, I'm guessing that you're quite close with Ozpin. And that makes the fact that I had failed to account for you even more infuriating." Cinder admitted.

"So, I'll ask you one more time." Cinder continued. "Just who are you?"

"And I'll tell you one more time," the assailant responded, "you don't have to—nor do you get to—learn my name."

Cinder growled in anger for a moment before regaining her composure, smirking confidently. "You know what, you're right, I don't have to learn your name. At the end of this night, you're just going to be another corpse."

"Well, shit, and here I pegged you for some mindless drone, and here you are trying to intimidate me." The assailant taunted. "What, does your Queen let you keep some of your humanity when she makes you into her puppets?"

Cinder scowled. _That confirms it, the fact that he's aware of her Ladyship's existence proves that he's not only close with Ozpin, but also in his inner circle. Damn it, how did I not know of his existence until now?_

 _It doesn't matter,_ Cinder decided, _if he really is a part of Ozpin's inner circle, then killing him is a bonus._

Cinder and the assailant ran towards each other, ready to continue their battle. Meanwhile, the Fall of Beacon began. The students of the Huntsmen Academies in the arena quickly rallied to try and fight back the Grimm, only to be sent away by Professor Peter Port and Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck. General James Ironwood of Atlas took to the streets to survey the situation personally, determined to try to make things right after his own failure. Qrow Branwen and Glynda Goodwitch quickly got into the fight as well. Finally, Professor Ozpin—headmaster of Beacon Academy—awaited a certain someone's arrival.

And then there was Ruby Rose, the young prodigy who had enrolled in Beacon two years early under recommendation from Professor Ozpin, soon found herself in a situation on top of an Atlas Warship.

The warship had been firing on friendlies instead of the Grimm, catching the leader of Team RWBY's attention. So, through a series of crazed actions, the young reaper got on the ship. However, she quickly found the reason why the warship was going rogue, and it was in the form of an old enemy and his associate.

Roman Torchwick, flanked by his subordinate, Neo, smirked darkly as he readied his Melodic Cudgel. "Oh, Little Red, Little Red," the infamous criminal mocked, "you're just _determined_ to be the Hero of Vale, aren't you?"

Ruby readied her scythe, Crescent Rose, for battle. However, she wanted to understand just what Roman was up to and why. Unfortunately, the answer was far from satisfactory, and the reaper found herself locked in battle with her oldest enemy.

Meanwhile, Blake Belladonna, Cat Faunus, former member of the Faunus-Rights group, the White Fang, and another member of Team RWBY, found herself confronted by an old comrade turned terrifying foe: Adam Taurus of the White Fang.

He smiled sinisterly at her. "Hello, my darling."

Meanwhile, Pyrrha Nikos—the prodigy of Sanctum Academy and the unwilling killer of Penny Polendina—found herself entering Beacon Academy, going into the hidden vault that she had been made aware of awhile back.

Next to her, a confused Jaune Arc—her leader and friend on Team JNPR—tried to understand just what was going on here. In time, Jaune would understand…after Pyrrha made her choice. Would she become the new Fall Maiden, or not?

In another time, there would have been an assailant watching them enter Beacon with malicious intent: one Cinder Fall, who was ready to take the rest of the Fall Maiden's powers for herself. However, Cinder was currently occupied with the blue swordsman she was dueling with on the rooftops.

Some time had passed, but the two fighters looked nowhere near their limit. The perpetrator of all of this glared at the man who had impeded her progress. "I have to admit," Cinder said after a brief moment of silence, "I am…impressed with you. I never imagined I'd come across someone of your age with such skill. Ozpin got lucky, getting a prodigy like you on his side."

"And for someone who only got half the Fall Maiden's power, you wield it really well. Damn good thing, too." The assailant admitted. "If you got all of it…I'd be in some deep shit."

Cinder looked around for an opening to escape. Emerald and Mercury finally got to their feet after being stunned by the assailant's black flames. "Get moving, both of you." Cinder ordered them. "We need to get everything on video, remember that."

Mercury nodded and fled. Emerald was a bit more hesitant to leave Cinder behind. Cinder glared at her. "That is a direct order, Emerald." Her eye flared up at this.

Emerald nodded and fled as well. The assailant looked at Cinder. "Not going to make this a three-on-one fight, huh?"

"They both have parts to play, and can't be bogged down in this fight. And, you managed to see through Emerald's illusions." Cinder noted. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage that? Since your Semblance seems to be those black flames, you don't seem to have a natural immunity to them through your own Semblance."

"Instinct," the assailant responded without hesitation, surprising Cinder, "I hate to break it to you, but a few illusions won't break me."

That was actually an accurate answer. This assailant's instincts for battle were so well-honed, he could catch onto any oddities that crept up. "I see, how troublesome." Cinder frowned at someone like this being able to beat Emerald's illusions with no issue.

 _How in the world will I explain this?_ Cinder wondered. _An enemy I didn't account for…he'll ruin everything at this rate!_

Cinder then heard a distinctive roar out in the distance. The woman regained her composure and smirked. _Well, well,_ she thought, _it appears fortune favors me this time._

"So, you'll tell me your secrets to battle, but you won't tell me your name? You are an odd young man." Cinder noted, deciding to stall for time for once.

"So I've been told." The assailant shrugged uncaringly.

Before Cinder could continue to speak, a scroll started ringing. It was the assailant's. He took it out, surprising Cinder. His eyes widened slightly. "Ah, it's Professor Ozpin." He said.

The assailant answered the scroll. Cinder's mouth almost dropped open in disbelief at the sight. "Good evening, Professor," he said, his tone becoming more pleasant and businesslike.

 _"Hansel,"_ Ozpin responded, _"the situation is bad here. Are you back in Beacon yet?"_

The now-named Hansel nodded. "Don't worry, sir." He said. "I just back. I just got sidetracked in a fight with the person who perpetrated this whole thing."

 _"You are? Hansel that's welcome news. We could use something like that at the moment."_ Ozpin told him. _"Take her alive. We need information on the Queen from her. You can manage that, right?"_

"It's me, Professor. Ask, and I shall deliver." Hansel promised. "I can't promise she'll be brought to you undamaged though."

 _"That's fine,"_ Ozpin said, _"do what you must. Meanwhile, I'm going to finish the process of transferring the remains of the Fall Maiden's powers into Pyrrha Nikos. She has chosen to take on the burden."_

"Glad to hear it, with all that's going on right now, I'd be kinda pissed if she wasn't ready to do her part." Hansel admitted. "You do what you've gotta do, Professor, and I'll take this woman in alive."

Cinder narrowed her eyes at that statement. "I should go, Professor. She looks like she's ready to throw down again." Hansel told his mentor.

 _"I understand, stay safe my boy. Not just for mine and your sake, but for Glynda's as well."_ Ozpin said before hanging up his scroll.

Hansel was quick to pocket his scroll. "Did you have a nice chat with your master, _Hansel_?" Cinder inquired mockingly.

"Yes, it is always nice to hear from the man who mentored me." Hansel admitted. "Now, why don't you do me a favor and show a bit more gratitude to the professor? It's thanks to him, you're going to get through this night alive. I've been ordered to bring you in alive."

"That is so kind of him." Cinder spat sarcastically. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline his invitation. I have other plans."

"Oh, you mean like taking the rest of the Fall Maiden's powers?" Hansel taunted her with a smirk and the next several words that came out of his mouth. "I hate to break it to you, but even if you ran as fast as you could, you'd never make it in time. You're too late. They're already transferring the remains of the Fall Maiden's powers to a new candidate."

This got a reaction out of Cinder. "WHAT?" The calm and confident woman lost her composure.

"You've failed, Thief." Hansel told her. "Even if Beacon falls tonight, the Fall Maiden's powers will never be yours."

Cinder prepared her blades. "We'll see about that." She responded.

Hansel readied his katana once more. "No, you'll see." He promised. "And Wolf Fang and I will be more than happy to show you."

Cinder then surprised Hansel by smirking. "As much as I'd love to show you how wrong you are, I'm afraid we need to cut this meeting short. I have a date with destiny."

"As if I'd let you leave." Hansel growled, annoyed that Cinder actually thought she could escape from him.

"Oh you don't have to, I'm simply leaving." Cinder promised.

At that moment, Hansel heard the sound of a horrid beast roaring. He looked up to see a Grimm Dragon fly down and land between himself and Cinder. Cinder chuckled and leapt onto the back of the Grimm Dragon. "It's been a pleasure, Hansel." She mocked. "Next time, let's finish this properly. Next time, I'll have a better idea how to put a beast like yourself down."

"HOLD IT!" Hansel screamed at the woman.

The Grimm Dragon then let out a breath of black miasma that quickly formed into multiple Beowolves and Ursas. "SHIT!" Hansel yelled in frustration, having his path blocked.

"Until next time, dear Hansel!" Cinder taunted him as the dragon took flight, taking Cinder with it and leaving Hansel with the Grimm.

Hansel's cold blue eyes grew enraged at his quarry escaping him. "DAMN IT!" Hansel screamed before instinctively decapitating a Beowolf that tried to pounce on him.

Hansel's negative emotions attracted several Griffons from above as well. Hansel was soon surrounded by this group of Grimm. Hansel shook with rage before taking a deep breath to calm down. "You are going to regret this." He vowed to the Grimm. "Every. Single. One of you! Make peace with your master, your goddess. Pray that she'll be merciful to you."

 _"Because I sure as hell won't!"_

Meanwhile, Roman Torchwick overwhelmed Ruby Rose in a fit of rage after seeing his partner, Neo Politan, get sent flying away by the actions of the red reaper. In a fit of rage, he then began to tell her just how he felt about her and her ideals.

"You've got spirit, Red!" Roman yelled. "But the real world doesn't care about spirit! You wanna be a hero? Then play the part and die like all the rest!"

Ruby, meanwhile, found herself frantically looking around for an escape, or for something to turn the tide against Roman. "As for me," Roman continued, "I'll do what I always do! Lie! Cheat! Steal! And survive!"

In another life, the negativity in Roman's rant would have drawn the attention of Griffons, resulting in his death. However, a certain someone fighting off the Grimm meant that Roman was free to do as he pleased. Including killing a certain thorn in his side.

However, Ruby had no intention of dying just yet. Deciding to take an all or nothing gamble, the girl summoned up her strength to push herself off the edge of the warship, surprising the master thief and making him pause in his attack.

"…That wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be." He admitted to himself.

Then, much to Roman's shock, Ruby Rose propelled herself above the warship with Crescent Rose pointed downwards. The girl was firing concussive blasts of air dust from the gun attachment on her scythe and was now towering above the ship and Roman. "Oh you've _gotta_ be fucking kidding me." Roman muttered, preparing his Melodic Cudgel.

"YAH!" Ruby yelled, firing one last concussive blast behind her, propelling herself towards Roman.

She then added to her momentum by using her Speed Semblance, much to the horror of Roman. "Oh shit!" Roman yelled in terror as he frantically braced himself to meet Ruby's attack head on.

However, by the time Ruby reached him, she was too fast for even him to keep up, and the girl was soon right behind him, her Crescent Rose already swung downwards. Roman wheezed in pain. "You little…" he trailed off, unable to speak without experiencing pain.

"Not every hero dies the way you think they do, Roman." Ruby told him. "Sometimes, they rise up, and give people the will to live on. That's why we're still here today. And that's why _I will keep fighting_."

Roman wanted to laugh at the fact that no matter what, Ruby's resolve would never waver and how cliché it sounded, but found himself unable to as the master thief collapsed to his knees. "Sorry…Neo…" he muttered as he fell onto his stomach, blacking out.

Ruby looked up and surveyed the sky, making sure no Grimm were coming near her. She quickly made her way to Roman and picked him up. He was an asshole, but he did not deserve to die like this. "Okay," she said, "time to find a way back down…"

Meanwhile, as Adam Taurus continued to taunt and torment his former love, he found himself thinking back on his meetings with one Cinder Fall…

 _"It's about damn time."_

 _Such were the first words that popped out of Adam's mouth, upon receiving confirmation from Cinder Fall that the full-scale invasion of Vale would finally begin tonight._

 _Cinder smirked from the other side of the Scroll conversation. "Glad to hear you've maintained your enthusiasm. Am I still correct to assume that your fellow White Fang feel likewise?"_

 _"Hey, I did tell you that I'd get them to listen to me, and I delivered," reminded Adam, who then gestured towards his background._

 _Behind Adam were White Fang soldiers left and right: some were sparring with each other on the training mats, while others were busy fine-tuning the Bullheads and other equipment that would be needed for the anticipated battle._

 _"Splendid. And what of the package I sent you earlier?"_

 _Adam slightly frowned upon hearing the question, knowing exactly what she was referring to. "Entirely intact in our secret warehouses, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of humans taming Grimm into pets. Still feels out of left field, even after seeing it for myself."_

 _"You should have a little more faith, Adam. The Grimm will play their role as intended." Confidently insisted Cinder._

 _"They are security risks who would prefer to eat us rather than help us."_

 _"Grimm are fear incarnate. I thought you would understand, considering the masks."_

 _And before Adam could immediately respond, Cinder cut him off and continued, "They're just another tool, Adam; nothing more, nothing less."_

 _ **Like how you view the White Fang as just another tool?**_ _Inwardly lamented Adam, who fought to turn his frown back into a neutral expression (while keeping his thoughts to himself)._

 _Deep down, Adam was not fooled by Cinder's sweet-talking and lavish gifts; he knew exactly from the start that this so-called "partnership" between Cinder's mysterious group and the White Fang was entirely arranged on Cinder's terms, not the Fang's._

 _The memory of Cinder's earlier show of force at the forest outpost still ate away at him. While it was indeed fortunate that his fellow White Fang colleagues survived their burn injuries (remaining alive and still relatively intact), the same could not be said for Adam's (normally unshakeable) pride._

 _ **In one fell swoop, that human witch came back into MY camp uninvited, hurt MY soldiers, and undermined MY leadership,**_ _angrily thought Adam._

 _He barely fought back the urge to clench his fists in frustration. Oh, how he hated not being the one in control!_

 _Adam's chain of thought was then interrupted by Cinder, who continued, "And when it comes to working for a master such as mine, following her is a pathway to many abilities that plenty would consider to be… unnatural. It's awkward at first, but you'll get used to it eventually."_

 _Deciding not to dwell too much on his inner ranting, it was then that Adam changed the subject. "Yeah, so about your boss…"_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"Considering what we're about to pull off, is she going to be around to see the fireworks? And are there any other silent partners I should be made aware of?"_

 _"It's on a need-to-know basis," she explained, "my master and the rest of my team enjoy a certain level of privacy, and I would appreciate it if you could help keep it that way."_

 _And after seeing Adam still didn't look convinced, Cinder then decided to sweeten the deal._

 _"But you know what, you did play your part in convincing your fellow soldiers not to follow Tukson's cowardly example of bailing out," she conceded, "so I think I can make an exception for you. Deliver us our desired results, and you'll have a face-to-face meeting with my master."_

 _"Deal," quickly responded Adam, deciding to take what he could get (while also wisely choosing not to test Cinder's patience for the time being). "And is there anything else you require?"_

 _With her trademark smirk of confidence, Cinder said, "Not at the moment. Anyway, have fun! We're this close to both of us getting what we want," and then hung up on her Scroll._

 _Seeing the "call ended" notification on his Scroll, Adam remained silent and was then greeted by a certain White Fang Lieutenant._

 _"I've finished checking attendance. All hands are on deck, and we're ready to move out on your command, sir."_

 _"Good…" Adam trailed off, ready for battle. Ready for revenge._

Shaking those thoughts away, Adam returned his attention to his darling, who was still looking at him with a mixture of shock and betrayal. Sparks flew around their joined blades. Adam glared at her from behind his mask. "This could've been our day!" He yelled. "Can't you see that!?"

"I never wanted this!" Blake was quick to deny. "Can't you see that?"

Blake quickly raised her Gambol Shroud and folded it into its sickle mode. She shot at Adam, who blocked both bullets with his sword. "What you want is impossible!" Adam told her.

With that, Adam sheathed his sword and backhanded Blake across her face, knocking her over. "But I understand, because all I want is you, Blake." Adam said creepily.

Blake raised her sickle again, only for Adam to kick it out of her hand, knocking her over once again. "And as I set out upon this world and deliver the justice mankind so greatly deserves," Adam continued, revealing more and more of the Faunus' insanity, "I will make it my mission to destroy everything you love."

The two then heard a voice call out to the downed girl. "Blake!" It was Yang Xiao Long, she was looking for her partner and best friend.

Yang's voice drew their attention to one of the broken windows. She then came into their viewpoints and shot down a member of the White Fang with Ember Celica. "Blake!" Yang called out again. "Where are you!?"

Adam turns to Blake and sees her terrified expression. He then returned his gaze to Yang. "Starting with her," he said darkly.

Then, Adam drew his sword and stabbed Blake's abdomen, near her left hip. Blake shrieked in pain. Her cry had the desired effect of catching Yang's attention. "Huh?" She said, immediately worried for Blake's safety.

She turned to see what Adam was doing to Blake. Adam stood upright and pulled his sword from Blake's flesh. He turned to face Yang, smirking, taunting her. Yang immediately saw red. "Get away from her!" She screamed.

Blake reached out, helpless to stop Yang. "No…please…" she whispered.

Adam sheathed his sword and smiled cruelly. Yang screamed furiously. Her eyes turned red and a burst of flames erupted from her. She leapt at Adam, drawing her fist back with tears in her eyes. _This shall be the beginning of the end for you, my darling._ He vowed. _Just as tonight shall be the beginning of the end for humanity._

He would make them both suffer. They would not die quickly. First, the blonde would have her arm separated. He would make her understand that you should not raise a fist against him. Then, after enjoying her pain for awhile, he would put her out of her misery, but not too quickly. Then, he would take Blake back with him, and she would never be able to leave him again.

Adam was about to get a lesson that life sometimes worked out the way you wanted, and sometimes it did not. Fate was truly a cruel mistress in that regard…

Suddenly, a black fireball came shooting out of nowhere, striking Yang and knocking her away from Adam as the Faunus drew his sword and activated his Semblance: Moonslice. Adam's eyes widened behind his mask at the interference, his attack unable to reach its target.

Blake was briefly surprised as well, but was quick to remember that Yang had been hit by the fireball. "Yang!" She called out in worry to the girl who had been laid out on her back.

An irritated groan drew everyone's attention. "What a giant pain in my ass," a young, blue poncho-clad man lamented as he stepped into the burning building.

Adam and Blake stared at the interferer in shock. "How the hell am I supposed to meet up with Professor Ozpin when I'm constantly getting sidetracked, huh?" Hansel demanded, looking visibly irritated with Adam, Blake and Yang before addressing Adam. "You better take responsibility for this, asshole."

"Who…" Blake muttered, wondering just who this man was.

"Who the hell are you?" Adam demanded.

Hansel pointed his katana at Adam. "Someone who has lost his patience." He replied.


	2. Chapter 2: When it Falls

**A.N: Bit of writer's block regarding the next One Piece Campaign Chapter, but I am working on it, it's just taking awhile. Until then, enjoy chapter 2 of Wild Hunt.**

 **Chapter 2: When it Falls**

Jaune Arc could only look on in confusion as he watched Pyrrha Nikos step into a strange machine in the basement of Beacon Academy, directed by Professor Ozpin. He kept trying to figure out just what in the world was happening and why it involved Pyrrha. Then, the process began. Jaune watched in horror as Pyrrha screamed in pain for a moment before falling silent. He looked at Ozpin in a mixture of confusion and betrayal.

Ozpin could only shake his head in sadness. "I'm so sorry," he said.

"Sorry?" Jaune was more confused now. "Sorry for what? What the hell did you do to Pyrrha, Professor?"

Ozpin shook his head. "I'm so sorry I had to get her involved in this, Mr. Arc." He said. "Gods forgive me, this was the last thing I ever wanted for any of my students."

"Start making sense, Professor."

Jaune then stumbled towards Ozpin, maintaining the look of betrayal on his face. "What has happened to Pyrrha?"

Ozpin heaved a sigh. He then noticed the vital signs in the pod Pyrrha was in were starting to rise again. He could not help but shed a single tear when he noticed that pod heart rate readings of the previous Fall Maiden, Amber, were completely flat.

 _Forgive me,_ he thought, _another mistake to add to a long line of many._

"If Ms. Nikos wishes to tell you everything, I will allow her." Ozpin said. "But Mr. Arc, as you saw, she made the choice to take on this burden."

"I don't want to hear you try to justify it, Professor." Jaune glared at Ozpin. "I just want to know what you've done to her!"

Suddenly, the door to Pyrrha's pod exploded. "Pyrrha!" Jaune yelled in concern.

Jaune immediately breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Pyrrha was already waking up after falling unconscious. Her eyes had a strange fiery pattern around them. Ozpin could not help but relax a bit.

 _At least something good can come out of this hellish night._ He noted. _We now have our new Fall Maiden._

The elevator doors suddenly exploded, and a furious voice screamed out. "NO!"

Jaune, Pyrrha and Ozpin immediately turned their attention to the owner of the voice. Cinder Fall furiously revealed her presence. "Ozpin!" She screamed. "Damn you, Ozpin! How dare you take what belongs to me!"

Cinder summoned her bow and arrow and immediately took aim at Pyrrha. Jaune—in spite of not know what was going on—immediately took a position in front of Pyrrha to protect her from this angry woman. "No, Jaune," Pyrrha said weakly, "don't…try to fight her."

Ozpin then took a step forward, test-swinging his cane about. "She is right, Mr. Arc, this is an enemy you are not ready to face."

"And Ms. Nikos, you stay back as well. Let your professor do his part for a change." Ozpin stared down the false Maiden, ready for battle.

Cinder glared at Ozpin for a moment before regaining her composure. She looked around at this hidden room and chuckled. "All of this time and it was under our noses." She mused. "She was right, you are so arrogant."

Ozpin narrowed his eyes. "Your master has some nerve to call me arrogant. She has waged war on humanity with impunity for too long, and has become far too comfortable with the ground she has gained." He noted.

Ozpin looked over his shoulder at Jaune and Pyrrha, who were both immensely confused at what they were conversing about.

 _Perhaps I must fill in Ms. Nikos about her existence as well, now that she's going to be a target._

Ozpin then smirked, deciding to rattle Cinder a bit. "Hansel told me you two got acquainted, earlier. How did you find my apprentice? He didn't seem too impressed with you, considering his confidence he could capture you."

Those words had their intended effect. Flames began to explode around Cinder as she prepared to charge Ozpin. "I left him with a small army of Grimm. I hate to tell you, but your beloved apprentice won't survive." Cinder declared. "That's the last time you catch me off guard with him!"

Ozpin chuckled. "You underestimate Hansel. Once that boy sets his mind to an objective, only my word will stop him. I wouldn't be surprised if that little army you left him with has already been wiped out."

Cinder decided to table those thoughts for another time, and simply fired several shards at Ozpin, only for the man to deflect them all with speed that amazed both Jaune and Pyrrha.

"It's a shame, perhaps if Hansel had not arrived when he did, you might've been able to reach us unopposed, and then abscond with the remains of the Fall Maiden's powers for yourself. But we will never know, because history has decided to take a different course." Ozpin noted. "Come, false Maiden, let us see where this new path takes us!"

With that, Ozpin, the great and powerful, and the wicked maiden leapt at each other with incredible speeds, ready to do battle.

Meanwhile, the blue swordsman known as Hansel stared at Adam Taurus in irritation. "Take responsibility, you hear me?" He demanded. "Professor Ozpin gave me a mission, and here you are doing something I simply can't ignore. And as a result, you're delaying my mission."

"So take responsibility, you bastard." Hansel told him. "Or better yet, steel yourself. Because I have no intention of forgiving you for delaying me."

Adam glared at Hansel from behind his mask. "That attire, colored blue, your katana, black hair that blends in with the night, and those cold blue eyes that have no empathy for those he deems an enemy. I know you. You are the Blue Demon, Hansel Kobalt."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "I always hated that nickname." He admitted. "But, I do appreciate that it strikes fear into the hearts of my enemies. And judging by your attire and your sword, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you are Adam Taurus, the White Fang's loose cannon."

Adam then noticed that Blake Belladonna had left her previous position and was now by Yang Xiao Long's side. "Yang," Blake gently shook her, "are you alright?"

Yang groaned as she sat up. "Ugh, what the hell hit me?" She wondered.

Yang then remembered a black fireball coming out of nowhere. She looked at Adam and then Hansel. Then she realized who shot her with that fireball. "Hey jackass!" She screamed at Hansel. "What's the big idea, huh?"

"Oh shut up, Blondie!" Hansel clearly had no time for Yang's complaints. "I just saved your dumb ass, so show some gratitude and get the hell out of here."

"Why you…" Yang growled in anger.

"Yang, don't!" Blake stopped her, tightly gripping her shoulders. "Listen to me, Adam isn't someone you should try to fight. And I don't know who this guy is, but if even Adam is on guard, you shouldn't try to face him either."

Blake then winced as her stressing over Yang caused her wounds to act up. Yang noticed this and her eyes widened. "Hey, try to relax a little, or you're going to make those wounds bleed more." She said.

"Hey, Little Bow Peep," Hansel addressed Blake with a nickname of her own, "you two need to get out of here. I won't be held responsible if either of you get in my way."

"He's right, Yang." Blake said. "Adam is too dangerous, we'll only be in this guy's way. We have to go."

Yang hated the fact that she was running away from two men who pissed her off. But Blake did need medical attention. And judging by the tone of Hansel's voice, he had no problem with cutting either of them down if they got in his way.

"Okay," she said, taking Blake and hoisting her up, supporting her, "hang tight, Blake, we'll get you help."

Adam then addressed Blake, making the Cat Faunus go pale at his chilling words. "We'll continue this another time, my darling; don't forget my promise."

Yang ignored Adam's chilling words and fled with Blake as quickly as she could. Adam then turned his full attention to Hansel. "Now then, Blue Demon, I believe you told me to steel myself. I shall now say the same to you. I will take great pleasure in striking down a human with your reputation. It shall be my own personal introduction to the world as someone to be feared."

"Sorry, but there are only two ways this will end, and neither will be my death." Hansel replied. "The first is this place becoming your grave."

"The second is I send you bruised and crying back to the High Leader."

Adam growled and rushed Hansel, not wanting to take the taunts of a human lying down. He rapidly drew Wilt from Blush, only for Hansel to gracefully move to the side and avoid his first slice.

Hansel smirked at the Faunus. "Olé," he could not help but mock Adam's Faunus traits.

And then to add insult to the injury, Hansel waved his poncho in a cape-like goading manner.

Adam growled in anger as he aimed Blush straight at Hansel's face, his finger on the trigger. Adam fired a point blank shot at Hansel's face, only for the young man to swing his Wolf Fang straight through the bullet, cutting it in half.

Hansel then quickly put some distance between the two of them before Adam could fire another round by shooting black flames out of his left hand, creating a sort of smokescreen between the two of them and propelling himself away from Adam, who was forced to shield himself from the flames.

Hansel then drove Wolf Fang into the ground and aimed his right arm at Adam. Black flames gathered around them before they were fired off from his arm like a flamethrower. Adam saw the flames coming and was forced to block them with Wilt, absorbing them with his Semblance.

Hansel noticed this happening and frowned, stopping his onslaught of flames. "Ah damn," he muttered, "why can't all Semblances be straightforward like mine?"

Adam then leapt from the flames with a sheathed Wilt and rapidly drew it, attempting to cut Hansel in half right up the middle. Hansel quickly grabbed Wolf Fang and blocked the attack. The force of the impact destroyed the entire wall behind him.

Hansel then slammed his foot on the ground, and rocketed himself above Adam with a blast of flames. Adam gasped as he was left wide open for a subsequent blast. Hansel then aimed his left hand at Adam's back and blasted him with more fire.

Adam yelled out in pain as his Aura worked to shield him from the brunt of the blast. He quickly recovered and fired several rounds from Blush at Hansel who quickly enveloped the bullets with flames from his right hand.

Adam then closed the distance between them as quickly as he could manage, now pressuring Hansel with attacks from Wilt. _He's using his black flames sparingly, even though they give him an advantage over me._ Adam noted. _I wonder why…_

Hansel then suddenly blasted Adam with fire from his left hand, pushing him backwards. _Damn, I let my guard down._ Adam thought with frustration before noticing Hansel switching sword hands. _Wait a minute…_

Adam was cut off again with another fireball, this time from Hansel's right hand. Adam gasped and swung Wilt at the flame, absorbing it. I _see now._ He realized before sending Hansel's attack right back at him with Moonslice.

Hansel quickly avoided the attack. _1 one thousand,_ Adam counted in his mind, _2 one thousand, 3 one thousand…_

Hansel then switched sword hands once again and fired black flames from his left hand. Adam quickly absorbed the flames once more. Hansel then surprised him by throwing a fireball from a kick, but Adam managed to absorb that as well. He then sent the energy of the two attacks back in a swing. Hansel blocked the counterattack, but was pushed back. He could not help but smirk. "Nice to know that I'm more dangerous to myself than you are." He taunted.

Adam just grinned, ignoring Hansel's taunt. "I've found your tell." He revealed. "You have a cool-down rate between times you can use your Semblance."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "Did I hit it right on the head?" Adam taunted. "A Semblance as strong as yours shouldn't come without a few drawbacks. After all, Semblances are like muscles. Use them too much, and they become injured."

"You're right," Hansel shrugged, accepting that Adam found him out, "the more I use my flames, the longer I have to wait before I can use them again in that particular body part. I use them too much and too often, and I risk damaging my body."

"Since we're on the subject, I've figured out your Semblance too." Hansel revealed. "You absorb attacks into that blade, and then you return it right back at your opponent. And the more you absorb, the more powerful your attack is. In fact, if I had to guess, you probably absorbed my physical attacks into your blade as well."

"Impressive," Adam grinned, "I suppose it is pretty obvious when you think about it. Then again, people are usually dead by the time they figure out Moonslice's power."

Adam brandished Wilt at Hansel. "So tell me, what do you intend to do with that knowledge, Blue Demon?" He mocked. "How do you expect to fight me when simply attacking me speeds your end? Doesn't that frighten you?"

Hansel scowled. "That's supposed to frighten me?"

Hansel's free hand clenched into a fist. "You don't know what fear is, Taurus."

Hansel then took a deep breath. "Let me answer your question with another question, how am I supposed to win if I'm afraid of my enemy and his power? I don't. And that is why, I'm not going to fear your Semblance."

Hansel then drove Wolf Fang into the ground as flames gathered around both of his hands. "In fact, I want to see just how much you can take!" He exclaimed.

With that, Hansel fired two black fireballs at Adam, who absorbed them into Wilt. _How much I can take? What is he trying to do?_ Adam wondered before Hansel suddenly charged Adam, swinging his Wolf Fang with heightened aggression.

Adam gasped lightly as he was forced on the defensive by Hansel's aggressive attacks. He could not take any time to take aim and fire with Blush without Hansel cutting into him with Wolf Fang. He could feel Moonslice absorbing the force of Hansel's attacks into his blade.

 _An attack like this,_ he thought to himself, _I could crush him with power like this!_

Hansel then surprised Adam by enveloping him in black flames and putting some distance between the two of them. Adam frowned. _He knows what Moonslice's power is and yet he's deliberately putting distance between us? He's mocking me…_

Adam sheathed Wilt. "Fine!" He exclaimed. "Let's see how much you can take, you damn demon!"

Firing Blush to increase the force of his draw, Adam swung Wilt, activating Moonslice. Adam could not help but gape in surprise at the sheer force of his own attack as an arc of energy tore across the ground towards Hansel.

Meanwhile, Blake Belladonna looked over her shoulder to see several buildings in a line suddenly be cut in half. Her eyes widened, realizing who was responsible. Yang Xiao Long also looked over her shoulder. "Holy…" she trailed off. "Blake, just who the hell is this Adam guy, huh?"

"I'll…tell you everything if we survive this." Blake said sadly.

"We will," Yang assured her, "now come on."

Back at the fight, Adam panted from the power he had just released. He looked at his sword arm and gasped at his shirt sleeve being torn off from the force of the attack. His arm was also shaking. _I've never released that much power from Moonslice._ He noted. _Just how much power did he hit me with?_

 _It doesn't matter now, even he could not have survived an attack like that-_

Adam was cut from his thoughts, literally. Hansel suddenly appeared in front of him and sliced off Adam's sword arm with a single swing. His blade was heated up from his Semblance. Adam screamed in pain as his arm fell from his body. "You really need to work on your aim." Hansel coldly told him.

Adam could only scream in pain as he fell to his knees and clutched the stump that was once his arm. Hansel narrowed his eyes in disgust. "You aimed for that blondie's arm you piece of shit." He said, kicking Adam in the jaw and knocking him onto his back. "Real big man, aiming to maim someone instead of kill them. I figured you'd like to know how that feels before you die."

Hansel then stepped on Adam's chest and aimed Wolf Fang at his face. "You think killing me will stop this?" Adam asked. "Stop the White Fang? Others will inherit my hatred!"

"Yeah, I really don't care." Hansel admitted. "I don't give a shit about your politics, your hatred, or your revolution, Taurus. The only thing that matters to me is that one less scumbag will be running around after I'm through with you."

Then, before Hansel could drive his blade through Adam's skull, smoke suddenly exploded all around him. "Ah shit!" Hansel yelled, shielding himself from the smoke.

He then heard the whirring of a chainsaw. He was then forced to leap away from a chainsaw that came out of the smoke. Hansel then watched as two low-level members of the White Fang picked Adam up, protected by a burly Faunus with a chainsaw. Hansel was then forced to defend himself from bullets from machine guns, stopping him from pursuing the White Fang and the injured Adam.

"Son of a bitch," Hansel snarled, "why the hell can't I kill anyone tonight?"

Hansel sighed, calming himself down. "It can't be helped," he said, "he was only a detour. I need to get to the academy. I need to get to Professor Ozpin and make sure everything's alright."

Hansel's scroll suddenly started to ring. He took it out of his pocket and saw that Ozpin was calling him. He quickly answered. "I'm sorry, sir." He said. "I don't mean to keep you waiting. Also, I lost the woman, she got away from me."

 _"Never mind that,"_ Ozpin said to him, _"she was here, at Beacon. I drove her off. She's trying to retreat. I need you to try to cut her off."_

Hansel narrowed her eyes. "Understood," he said, "my apologies, sir, I won't let her out of my sight again!"

Hansel ran towards the academy, hoping to cut off Cinder Fall's retreat. He grimaced slightly, feeling fatigue suddenly hit him. _Shit,_ he thought, _fighting that woman, Taurus, and all those Grimm has taken a lot out of me. I should have just enough energy to catch her though._

Meanwhile, Ruby Rose set down the injured and beaten Roman Torchwick. "Are you sure you want to leave him here?" An injured Nora Valkyrie inquired of Ruby.

"I don't like Roman, but I'd never forgive myself if I left him to die." Ruby shook her head. "Where's everyone else?"

Lie Ren spoke up. "Jaune and Pyrrha separated from us. I think Weiss is fighting with Velvet and some of the members of Team SSSN." He said.

Suddenly, Yang Xiao Long arrived with Blake Belladonna. "Yang!" Ruby ran over and embraced her sister, who had just set down the injured Blake. Ruby immediately turned her attention to Blake. "Blake, what happened to you?"

"Some jerk named Adam stabbed her." Yang growled. "Hopefully that jerk swordsman in blue took care of him."

"Blue swordsman?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know," Yang shrugged, "where's Weiss?"

"She's still in the city, I'm going after her." Ruby said in determination.

"Not without me you're not." Yang said. "Nora, Ren, can you guys look after Blake?"

Nora and Ren nodded. "Okay, Sis, let's get going." Yang said as the two sisters ran back into the city.

An injured Cinder Fall ran through the city, furious with herself and her failures. "Damn it!" She cursed in frustration. "How did this happen?"

If she had just managed to achieve the Fall Maiden's full power, that fight would have gone much differently. She would have killed Ozpin, and made her proud. It's all that brat's fault. Cinder thought angrily. _If that brat hadn't gotten in my way, I would've been able to get to the academy unopposed. That brat…that brat ruined everything!_

All she could do now was find Mercury and Emerald and retreat from the city and make it back to Her Grace's headquarters. "Well, well, well, looks like someone is retreating in disgrace." A familiar voice stopped Cinder in her tracks.

Cinder's eyes narrowed and her face contorted into a furious gaze. "You…" she snarled as Hansel appeared in front of her.

Hansel gave her a cold smirk. "Looks like you bit off a bit more than you can chew," he taunted, "what, did you forget that the professor is the mightiest Huntsman in Remnant?"

Cinder was furious at Hansel's taunts. "You've caught me in a real bad mood, Hansel." Cinder said to him as flames danced around her body. "Since you are the professor's little lapdog, you knew what I was after. And you both have denied me of my rightful prize."

Hansel shrugged uncaringly. "Too bad," he said, "maybe it wasn't meant to be yours after all? Sometimes, that's just how fate goes."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. _This fight won't be the same as before._ He thought to himself. _I had the element of surprise and the advantage of being unknown to this woman. Now that she knows about me, I won't have those advantages, and I've been in so many different fights since than. I need to try to stall her until backup arrives._

"But hey, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, right?" Hansel pointed out. "By all means, keep trying to take the Maiden's powers. I mean, I'm sure your boss is all about giving second chances, right?"

Cinder could not help but frown at how strange Hansel was sometimes. "Or maybe you're scared of going back not a full Maiden because you know that your boss is a psychopath?" Hansel suggested. "After all, even if humans can be a bit screwed up sometimes—you being a perfect example, by the way—committing genocide on the entire human race just doesn't seem right. And perhaps deep down you know that, so you're scared of going back a failure."

"Scared?" Cinder repeated before screaming. "The only thing I fear is spending the rest of my existence as an insignificant weakling!"

Cinder then rocketed towards Hansel. _Oh shit!_ Hansel thought, readying himself for battle. _I guess stalling didn't work! Damn it, where the hell's backup when you need it?_

Hansel blocked Cinder's first attack, but was pushed backwards. Cinder glared ferociously at Hansel. "I may not get the rest of the Fall Maiden's powers tonight," Cinder accepted, "but killing you will be quite the consolation prize, Hansel! I'll make you suffer for ruining everything!"

Several gunshots suddenly rang out. Cinder looked to the side and gasped as she was suddenly hit by several bullets that left her coated in ice. _Gunfire?_ Hansel was surprised. _But who…_

"How do you like that, Cinder?" Ruby Rose appeared, taunting her foe. "You looked like you needed to cool down!"

"You again, brat?" Cinder snarled as the ice started to melt.

Hansel looked at Ruby in utter confusion. "Who the hell are you?" He asked.

Ruby looked at Hansel. "Oh? You're wearing blue." She then realized, "Hey, you must be the guy that helped out Blake and my sister! Thanks for that! I saw the impact of that last attack and I thought I should go and see if someone needed help!"

 _Give me a break._ Hansel frowned. _I ask for backup and this is what I get?_

Hansel then noticed something that made his mouth drop open. Hold on… he trailed off as he gazed at Ruby's eyes.

"You," Hansel addressed Ruby, "you have silver eyes."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess I do." Ruby shrugged.

Hansel immediately deflated. _You have got to be kidding me._ He thought in disappointment. _**This**_ _is the silver eyed student the professor told me about?_

Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee then appeared by Ruby's side. "You dunce!" Weiss yelled at her partner. "What were you thinking running off like that? We should've evacuated with the others!"

"Yeah, but what if someone needed help!" Ruby defended herself. She then gestured to Hansel. "And look, see! Someone did need help!"

Hansel tried to say something to correct Ruby, but then realized. _She's not wrong, with the way that woman is behaving, I'm not sure if I would've survived a second round with her, especially with how much I've been through tonight._

Yang then noticed Hansel. "Hey jerk!" She yelled. "I've got a lot to say to you, you know!"

"Yeah, and I don't care, focus on the enemy in front of you." Hansel shrugged Yang off, much to her anger.

"Wow, I wish I could ignore you the way he does." Weiss admitted as she prepared her Myrtenaster, staring down the infuriated Cinder.

"One, four, ten, it doesn't matter to me!" Cinder declared. "I'll kill every last one of you!"

Cinder then turned her attention to Hansel. "But you, I think you've earned a more painful death!"

Hansel was drawn to a loud roar. He then turned around and his eyes widened. "Aww shit…" he muttered as the Grimm Dragon flew above and then landed between him, Cinder, and the girls.

The dragon then turned its attention to Cinder, who smiled sadistically. "Make sure that he suffers." She said cruelly.

The dragon immediately slammed its head into Hansel, pushing him away from Ruby and the others. "Hey, Blue Guy!" Ruby called out in worry.

"We can't worry about him, Ruby." Yang said. "He can take care of himself. We need to worry about this psycho."

"I recognize that voice." Weiss spoke up. "That's the woman who spoke up after Pyrrha's fight with…"

Weiss trailed off, worried about mentioning Penny Polendina around Ruby. "…Well, anyway, I think this is the woman who caused all this. We take her out, we stop all of this."

"Stop all of this?" Cinder smirked. "You fools, you can't stop this. There's so much about this world you don't understand, and you never will. Because you're all going to die here!"

And then an important observation occurred to Ruby. "She's not just the speaker from the match," she noted, "that woman…she's Emerald and Mercury's teammate."

Cinder chuckled. "Yes, yes, I think you owe Mercury an apology, Ms. Xiao Long." Cinder taunted Yang. "He's still on crutches."

Yang tensed noticeably from that statement before Ruby addressed her. "Don't listen to her, Yang, Mercury faked it!"

"Of course he faked it you fool. All of this was a plan to drown this entire kingdom in despair. And we all know what despair brings!" Cinder gestured to the Grimm Dragon, which was locked in a battle with Hansel, who had been forced on the defensive.

Ruby almost went after the Grimm Dragon to help Hansel. "Ruby, we need you here." Yang said. "If this chick is Mercury's boss, we'll need to go at her three-on-one."

"She's still injured, but you never know what a cornered beast might do." Weiss readied Myrtenaster.

Ruby was still admittedly worried about Hansel. _He looks like he's struggling._ She noted. _We better take care of Cinder quick, so we can help him._

"I'm with you, Weiss. Let's put this psycho on ice!"

"Really, ugh? Honestly, Ruby, do you get all of your cheesy one-liners from comic books? Focus, Ruby! This woman is a very real threat." Weiss pointed out.

"Alright let's go team!" Ruby took initiative and sped towards Cinder with her Semblance, Speed.

Cinder chuckled. "Fools," she said, summoning her two blades before effortlessly ducking underneath Ruby's attack and batting her away. She would have been cut into, but her Aura managed to protect her.

Yang's eyes flashed red. "Hands off my sister you bitch!" She screamed, rocketing towards Cinder with Ember Celica.

Weiss sped towards Cinder with speed glyphs. Cinder quickly fired an arrow into Yang's shoulder, stopping her momentum and then turned her bow into blades to fight Weiss one on one. "Do you really think parlor tricks to increase your speed will help you? I studied your moves during the Vytal Festival. Even if Ozpin did manage to injure me, I'm afraid you fools have no chance with your pitiful skills!"

Cinder then knocked Weiss back with her superior strength and de-summoned her smaller blades, replacing them with a single larger one to maintain an advantage in distance and power. "Know your damn place, you insects!" She yelled.

Ruby, meanwhile, recovered from her earlier attack. That move drained so much of my Aura. She is strong. Ruby then looked over at Yang, watching her yank the arrow out of her shoulder, grimacing.

Ruby's eyes then widened in further realization, watching the arrow vanish in flames. _Flames, arrows; there's no mistaking it! She's also the woman who infiltrated the CCT during the dance! She recalled before grimacing in horror. Gods, she was right under our noses the entire time…_

Shaking those thoughts away, Ruby attacked Cinder once more with Crescent Rose. Cinder stopped the scythe with her blade. Weiss took the opportunity to encase Cinder with ice, only for Cinder to effortlessly destroy the ice with a fireball. Ruby then took the opportunity to rocket herself away with a concussive blast from Crescent Rose's rifle attachment. "I trust you have a plan in mind, Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"You bet!" Ruby yelled. "Scattered Petals, go!"

Weiss's eyes widened slightly at that strategy, but formed a black glyph that allowed her to leap a great distance above Cinder. Cinder turned her attention to Weiss and tried to shoot her down with a fireball, only to have to block several shotgun shells from Yang. Cinder was then shocked by electric dust fired from Ruby's Crescent Rose, having swapped concussive shells with bullets laced with electric dust.

Cinder then found herself surrounded by several black glyphs, courtesy of Weiss Schnee. Ruby then stepped onto the black glyph while Weiss appeared next to her, adjusting Myrtenaster's ammo to ice dust. "Scattered Petals, huh?" She inquired of the name.

"Not like you had a better name for this." Ruby smiled as she leapt towards one of the glyphs above Cinder. Cinder gasped, realizing what she was trying to do. She created a bow and arrow, only to be covered in ice by Weiss, slowing her down enough to let Ruby pick up speed unopposed.

"We've got her!" Yang cheered, letting up on the blasts from Ember Celica.

 _It is a pretty good plan,_ Cinder noted, _but plans made by children can't do a thing to me!_

Flames exploded around Cinder, destroying the ice. She then summoned her twin blades. Ruby then started leaping wildly about, trying to slash Cinder from multiple directions. The speed and unpredictability of the attacks would be what brought her down.

However, Weiss and Yang then watched in horror as Cinder blocked all of Ruby's attacks effortlessly, moving about like she was dancing. Gods, Weiss thought, horrified, she's moving like this while injured by Professor Ozpin, just what kind of monster did we engage with?

"Ruby, get out of there! Abort the attack!" Weiss warned her.

 _No!_ Ruby thought, picking up speed. _I can get her. She's not going to get away with what she has done! Penny, and all of the innocent people that have died tonight. She's going to pay!_

"A good attempt, little Ruby, but I think I'm going to do Emerald a favor and end you." Cinder avoided another of Ruby's attacks and cut right through her Aura.

Ruby's eyes widened, realizing she had reached her limit, feeling Cinder's blade cut through her midsection. She shrieked in pain as she landed on her side, clutching her open wound. "Ruby!" Yang and Weiss yelled, horrified at what had happened.

"She always hated you." Cinder noted. "She put up with it for my sake, but by the Gods, she hated you."

Yang's hair exploded in flames. "You bitch!" She screamed, leaping at Cinder.

"Yang, no!" Weiss tried to warn Yang.

"As for you," without even looking, Cinder summoned a javelin and drove it straight into Yang's stomach, stopping her in her tracks, "Mercury despised having to hold back against you. Damaged his pride and all that jazz. I hope he doesn't mind me getting back at you for that."

Yang gasped in pain as she was pushed onto her back. She quickly lost consciousness. Weiss knew Cinder was dangerous, but she also knew that Cinder meant to kill her friends.

"Leave them alone!" She screamed, instinctively summoning the arm of the armored giant that she faced a long time ago.

Cinder smirked and caught the blade with her bare hand. "And then there's you," she said, melting the blade and then the arm, "I have no personal business with you, but when the White Fang found out the Schnee Heiress was here, they were salivating. Perhaps as a show of good faith, I should bring you to them?"

Weiss' eyes widened. Cinder then sped towards her and impaled her through the side with a large blade before Weiss could react. "Oh, poor thing, you let your guard down." She taunted. "What, does paying for the sins of your father not sound appealing?"

Weiss let out a cough. "It's too bad," she said, "the White Fang could probably gain enough funding to support themselves for years with a ransom from you. But, Adam is out for blood, so you'll die, and I can promise you, it won't be pretty."

Weiss collapsed onto her stomach, losing consciousness. "Now, you stay right there." Cinder said cruelly, turning her attention back to Yang and Ruby.

Ruby lifted her head weakly and saw the heavily injured Weiss and Yang. She had also overheard Cinder's plan for Weiss. _Weiss…Yang…_ she thought to herself. _Not them…I've lost Penny. I can't lose them too._

 _So many people…I don't want to lose anyone else…Mom!_

Ruby then struggled to her feet, surprising Cinder. "Oh, that's adorable," She taunted. "You know you're not going to do anything, right? I'm just going to knock you right back down."

"You're going to die here, Ruby." Cinder coldly told her. "I may not have taken what was mine, but I can take comfort in knowing I've eliminated some minor annoyances."

"What was yours?" Ruby asked quietly before repeating it louder. "What was yours?"

Cinder frowned at Ruby's tone. "So that's what this is all about?" Ruby demanded. "Because you wanted something?"

"And what of it?" Cinder demanded.

Ruby started shaking in an emotion she had never felt before: rage. "What in the world is wrong with you?" She asked tearfully. "What is wrong with Roman? Emerald? Mercury? All of you?! You've taken life after life, all because you wanted something? People died because of you! Good people! Don't you feel anything from what you've done tonight?"

Cinder sighed. "I've heard it all before. But to answer your question, Ruby; no, I do not."

Ruby tightly gripped Crescent Rose. "You're not human," she said angrily, as her wound suddenly closed up, surprising Cinder.

 _She had no Aura left!_ Cinder thought. _Where did that come from?_

"You're a monster." Ruby growled as a strange power began to rise up, surprising Cinder more.

 _Hang on, something's different about her!_

"No forgiveness," Ruby hissed before yelling, "NO FORGIVENESS!"

At that moment, a strange silver aura exploded from Ruby's eyes in the shape of silver wings. "WHAT?!" Cinder yelled in surprise.

"Cinder," Ruby then said calmly as that same silver aura surrounded Crescent Rose's blade, "no matter what happens, I will never forgive you!"

Ruby then swung Crescent Rose, releasing an arc of silver energy towards Cinder. "Damn!" Cinder yelled, sending out a fireball to cancel the attack. However, much to Cinder's horror, the attack sliced the fireball in half, dissipating the attack.

"No!" Cinder yelled as she was struck across the chest by the attack. The false Maiden screamed in unimaginable pain as blood flew out of her wound and landed around her body. She then collapsed onto her back, gasping for air, finding herself unable to move.

 _What in the world was that?_ She wondered.

Ruby then calmly advanced on Cinder, only to suddenly find herself surrounded by Grimm. However, she took one look at the Grimm and then swung Crescent Rose, cutting the scene before her in half and revealing it to be an illusion. Emerald and Mercury both gasped in horror as they scooped up the injured Cinder.

"What the hell, Em?" Mercury asked, frantically trying to figure out what has happened to Ruby.

"I don't know!" Emerald yelled. "Let's just get out of here!"

"Emerald…Mercury…" Ruby glared at them as she prepared to attack them before her attention was drawn to the sound of something hitting a nearby wall.

Ruby turned and gasped to see an injured Hansel Kobalt trying to prop himself up with his katana, only to fail and fall over. She gasped, worried for his safety. Even though she was blinded by rage, her care for others remained. She was still Ruby Rose deep down. "That's our cue, Em, let's go!" Mercury yelled as the two ran off with Cinder in their arms.

The two managed to get away with Cinder, who coughed, visibly in pain. "Emerald, Mercury, thank you." She said. "I have no idea what that was."

"She was just a runt." Emerald said, still scared of Ruby. "How could she be capable of something like that?"

"I don't know," Cinder admitted, "we need to get back to Her Grace."

Cinder grimaced. "The mission was a failure."

Meanwhile, Ruby tried to move towards Hansel to check on him, only for her eyes to suddenly return to normal. The silver aura vanished instantly. "What-" she managed before she fell over and lost consciousness.

Hansel weakly looked up to see the unconscious Ruby. _She can't control her power._ He realized before his lips contorted into an angry frown. _Damn it._

Hansel then gasped at the sound of a dragon roaring. He turned to see the Grimm Dragon advancing on him. _Shit._ He thought, trying to get up before grimacing in pain. Bite marks on his stomach, and a twisted ankle and dislocated shoulder from the last impact. _He got me good. I can't move. No, I can't die here…not yet! I refuse to die here!_

The dragon then advanced on the unconscious Ruby first, its gaze refused to leave her. _Does it recognize her as the biggest threat?_ Hansel realized. _It understands the power of her eyes better than she does!_

At that moment, a single force sped past the four bodies that lined the battlefield. Hansel then watched in shock as Professor Ozpin gently gazed at Ruby. "I'm so sorry," he said, "I never expected you to be triggered this early. Still, well done, Ms. Rose, you were very brave."

"Professor…" Hansel muttered weakly.

"You did well, Hansel." Ozpin told his apprentice. "Stay down, I'll take it from here."

Hansel relaxed. Ozpin was here now. Everything was going to be okay. Ozpin then turned his attention to the Grimm Dragon, glaring with uncharacteristic anger. "As for you," he said, "you dare threaten to sink your filthy fangs into my students? I shall purge you from this world."

The Grimm Dragon roared at Ozpin in response. However, before it could react, Ozpin was in front of it. Hansel watched in shock as Ozpin drove his cane rapidly and repeatedly into the underbelly of the beast, which roared in pain. Bright green lights sprang up from each spot.

Then, within seconds, the dragon let out a pained cry before exploding in black miasma. In just a few split seconds, Professor Ozpin, the greatest Huntsman in the world, had destroyed a very powerful Grimm. He then reached into his pocket and took out his scroll. "Qrow," he said, calling the veteran Huntsman, "come to my location, I've got wounded. Some of them are your nieces."

Ozpin then ran over to Hansel and gently lifted him off the ground. Hansel grimaced. "You can't move?" Ozpin asked.

"My shoulder's dislocated and I think my ankle's badly twisted. And then there's the fact that I can still feel that thing's teeth in my gut." Hansel admitted. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean for her to get away from me twice."

"Think nothing of it. I'm just glad you're alright." Ozpin said. "You did well tonight, Hansel. Thanks to you, we still have the Fall Maiden's powers on our side, even if it is only half of it."

Hansel looked around. "Give it to me straight, how bad are things going to be after tonight?" He asked. "Because this sure as hell doesn't look like a victory."

"With that dragon gone, I think we have a chance to take back the city and the academy." Ozpin said, moving towards the downed Weiss and gingerly picking her up as well.

Then, as Ozpin said this, the two were drawn to the sound of demonic cawing. They looked up to see flocks of Nevermore flying away from Vale. "Wait, are they leaving? As in, retreating?" Hansel was shocked.

Ozpin narrowed his eyes. "It appears she already knows of that woman's failure to become the Fall Maiden."

"Yeah, but why retreat?" Hansel wondered.

"Because they needed her to become a full-fledged Maiden. There is no sense in remaining here now, so the Queen has decided to allow us victory and hope, with plans of replacing it with despair in the near future." Ozpin explained.

"I see." Hansel said.

"Still, we should be happy with this victory. They are few and far in between." Ozpin noted before adding grimly. "Even so, I'm afraid humanity might be entering its darkest time."

"But for now, let's simply celebrate tonight's victory and be glad that things could have been so much worse." Ozpin said.

Hansel shook his head in disbelief. "Hell of a way to be welcomed back to Beacon." He muttered.

Ozpin could not help but smile lightly at his apprentice's sarcasm. "Indeed," he said, catching the bird form of Qrow Branwen out of the corner of his eye. He also noticed Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos catching up to him. "Welcome home, Professor Kobalt."


	3. Chapter 3: New Changes

**Chapter 3: New Changes**

It has now been two days since the Vytal Invasion, as it was now called. With the Grimm having unexpectedly retreated, Vale's residents were quick to return to what was left of their homes and subsequently try to rebuild what was lost.

Beacon Academy was left mostly untouched, due to the perpetrator of the incident, Cinder Fall, wanting something from Beacon, and as such needed the school. So, the faculty would be allowed to return to work quickly.

Furthermore, after some time off, students would be allowed to return if they wished. Of course, they needed to heal their wounds first. The injured members of Team RWBY and JNPR: Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren, were all able to pull through in spite of their various injuries and were currently recovering in a hospital on Patch Island.

Here, we see a meeting in the home of the Xiao Long-Rose family, between three individuals in particular. The Blue Demon, Hansel Kobalt; the Headmaster of Beacon, Ozpin; and finally, the dusty old crow and uncle to both Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long: Qrow Branwen.

"So, you're not the owner of this place, right, Qrow?" Hansel asked, having just entered the house.

Qrow shook his head. "Nah, my…brother-in-law owns the place. I told him I needed it for a private meeting. He didn't seem happy about it, but it did give him the opportunity to visit the girls in the hospital."

Ozpin looked at Hansel, sipping some hot chocolate. "Speaking of hospitals, how are you feeling, Hansel? You received some bad injuries yourself."

Hansel shrugged, gesturing to his less-covered body, having discarded his blue poncho in favor of a plain blue shirt and black pants. There were no visible injuries on his body. "I've always been a quick healer, Professor." Hansel reminded him.

Ozpin nodded. Qrow then decided to get down to business. "So, what's the current status?" He asked.

"Well, the good news is that rebuilding the city is coming along nicely, at least that's what Glynda has told me in her report." Ozpin said, pulling out his Scroll and reading through the reports recently sent to him. "Also, the CCT and the Academy were both left undamaged, which means we can continue communicating with our fellow kingdoms and our allies."

"And the bad news?" Qrow asked grimly.

Ozpin sighed. "It's a PR nightmare on all accounts." He admitted. "Footage of Atlesian mechs attacking innocent civilians has already been leaked to both the press and the internet, seemingly provided by an 'anonymous whistleblower.'"

"Oh, is that what Cinder Fall is calling herself these days?" dryly commented Hansel. "I think number one cheerleader and lapdog for the 'Queen' suits her more."

Nodding in acknowledgement of Hansel's commentary, Ozpin continued, "And then of course, there's the feed of Ms. Nikos eviscerating that poor girl."

Qrow growled in anger. "That damn tin man." He said, referring to Atlas' General James Ironwood. "We warned him about this kind of stuff, but of course he didn't listen. And what does Jimmy have to say about this disaster?"

"James has not been in contact with us." Ozpin admitted.

"Asshole." Hansel spat.

"Hansel," Ozpin sharply rebuked his apprentice, "James is probably dealing with these issues at Atlas on his own right now."

"And I'm sure he's also feeling tremendously guilty over what happened as well." Ozpin continued.

"You're far too lenient with that heartless bastard, Professor." Hansel shook his head. "If he's feeling guilty, then he deserves to. If he doesn't, I'll give him a reason."

Ozpin gave Hansel a warning glare. "That rhetoric does not help us right now, Hansel." Ozpin told him. "Right now, we need to be united. The Queen's actions, even if many of her objectives failed that night, have also had the desired effect of dividing us further."

"Divide us?" Qrow snorted. "If she's been around for as long as you claim, she should know that we humans already do a damn good job at dividing ourselves."

"Even so, we need to come together now, more than ever." Ozpin said before adding. "Thankfully, that might be a bit easier than you both would think."

"And why do you say that, Oz?" Qrow asked.

"There were also videos of students from all the Huntsmen Academies bravely defending the city. Right now, support for the academies are at an all time high, in spite of the incidents during the Vytal Festival." Ozpin admitted.

"No kidding?" Qrow asked. "Well, at least some good came out of this."

"The people need something to rally behind." Ozpin reminded his two close associates. "And it appears they've chosen to rally behind the brave students who risked their lives for others. Unfortunately, this has the added effect of generating more pressure for our students."

"They knew what they all signed up for." Hansel brushed that matter off. "If they can't handle the pressure, they shouldn't be here."

Ozpin sighed at Hansel's harsh opinion. "That maybe true, but it's important to remember that they are still children. It's up to us to guide them into these roles, as quickly and correctly as possible."

"What's the status on our new Fall Maiden?" Qrow asked, changing the subject.

"Ms. Nikos does not wish to discuss the matter with me just yet." Ozpin admitted. "Not until her teammates, Ms. Valkyrie and Mr. Ren are both out of the hospital. It appears she also wants them, along with Mr. Arc, their leader, to know the truth."

"How much are you going to tell them?" Qrow asked.

"Only that Ms. Nikos will now be a target of some very dangerous individuals. I will give them the option of leaving Team JNPR for their safety." Ozpin replied. "However, I will consider telling Ms. Nikos the whole truth, about what our true enemy is."

"And our false Maiden and her cohorts?" Hansel asked.

Ozpin went to a new section on his scroll. "Cinder Fall, Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai, and Neo Politan, those were the four members of that team from Haven." Ozpin said. "Their records all check out, which worries me. Unfortunately, we have none of them to be brought in for questioning. All four are missing."

"Leo's got nothing to say about them?" Qrow asked in surprise.

"Leonardo seems to have gone dark." Ozpin admitted.

"You don't think he's betrayed us?" Qrow suggested.

The headmaster shook his head. "I will continue giving him the benefit of doubt for the time being."

"I take responsibility, sir." Hansel said grimly. "I shouldn't have let that damn woman out of my sights."

Ozpin shook his head. "You did your best, and that's all you can do." Ozpin gently told him. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"How did you find Cinder Fall?" Ozpin inquired curiously. "From what I've gathered from my own experiences, she's quite high up in _her_ inner circle."

Hansel could not help but shiver. "That woman is seriously dangerous." He admitted. "I should've gotten her when I had anonymity on my side. Now that she knows about me, if we fought again, I have no doubt that she'd win."

"I see," Ozpin said, "to think that someone with half the Fall Maiden's power could pose such a threat. We need to make sure she never gets to Ms. Nikos."

"And what about the White Fang?" Qrow asked curiously, wanting to know about the other perpetrators of the recent incident.

"Well, Adam Taurus is now missing an arm, but that bastard got away too." Hansel told Qrow.

Qrow raised an eyebrow at Hansel's statement. "You're not one for half-measures, huh kid?" He noted.

"The White Fang released a statement recently that the soldiers attacking were a rogue faction led by Adam Taurus. Other than that, no word on the capture of any of the faunus who participated in the attack." Ozpin explained. "It appears they are not as united as we originally perceived. I'm thinking of opening dialogue with the Menagerie Chieftain. An alliance between Beacon Academy and Menagerie could go a long way in fostering better relationships between humans and faunus."

"If the White Fang did not specifically condemn those guys, I wouldn't hold my breath." Hansel pointed out. "It's one thing to disregard them as a rogue faction, but outright condemning them is another."

"That is why we'll be speaking with Menagerie, and not the White Fang." Ozpin told Hansel. "I would love to build trust with Sienna Khan as well."

"But we all know she wouldn't take too kindly to a meeting with you." Qrow noted. "Or any human for that matter."

Ozpin sighed. "Sadly, you're correct. It'll be awhile before we can have an honest, peaceful dialogue with the White Fang."

"But enough about last night," Ozpin said, "Hansel, would you like to share with us your recent findings? My apologies, but we did not have much of an opportunity to review the information you had sent us."

Hansel nodded. "No worries," he said, "it's a lot to take in."

Hansel brought out his own scroll. "For the past year, I've been investigating activities from a shadowy terrorist organization, motives still unknown."

"They currently like to use a lot of proxies to operate, mostly in the criminal underworld from Vacuo, Mistral and Atlas." Hansel said. "Hence the reason why I've recently been sending you information regarding Corleone, the most powerful crime boss in said underworld."

"They must have a lot of capital and influence to get someone like him on their side." Ozpin noted.

Hansel nodded. "Yeah, and that's when things get a bit disturbing." He said. "The Organization is currently stockpiling weapons and Dust, for reasons I don't know yet. They're preparing for something big."

The two older men in the room let that sink in. This was not what they needed to hear, after what had just happened. "And their leadership?" Qrow asked after a brief silence.

"Unknown at the moment," Hansel admitted, "they definitely covered all their bases in operating in secret."

"However, I did manage to figure out the Organization's structure." Hansel added. "This is where things get even more disturbing, because of the implications of just how far their influence spreads."

"They seem fond of codenames named for the suits in a deck of cards." Hansel explained. "First, they have nine powerful executive officers, all codenamed two through ten. And while on the job, they wear masks with their designated numbers on their foreheads."

"Second, there are the four bosses of the Organization: the Jack of Clubs, the Queen of Hearts, the King of Diamonds, and the Ace of Spades." Hansel continued. "Real names are currently unknown. Each of them are in charge of a particular division that has a role."

"The Clubs Division is their research and development unit. They're probably the ones weaponizing all of the research I've shown you in the past, Professor." Hansel addressed Ozpin. "Then there's the Hearts Division, that's their PR division."

"PR division?" Qrow was confused. "Why would a terrorist organization need public relations?"

"From what I could gather," Hansel replied, "is that their job is to build support and capital among others. If I had to guess, I'd say the Queen of Hearts is someone who's pretty chummy with the politicians and nobility of Remnant."

"So we could have traitors amongst our leaders." Ozpin realized the implications. "That is disturbing."

"Only if you're shocked by it." Hansel shrugged. "Me? I hate politicians, and the nobility. If there are a bunch of scumbags among them, I'm not surprised."

"Next, there is Diamond Division, they're the combat division." Hansel got back on track. "If the Organization does decide to go out in the open, we're likely going to be seeing a lot of their guys first."

"Finally, there is the Spades Division," Hansel's face took on a grim expression, "their speciality is assassinations."

"Geez, you were right." Qrow's eyes widened. "A well-balanced terrorist organization with the ability to perform R&D, politics, combat, and assassinations. Just how large is this group?"

Hansel shook his head. "I don't have the exact numbers, but I do know that their influence extends all over Vacuo, Atlas and Mistral, especially now that they have Corleone on their payroll. But we can speculate that they could rival a kingdom's army with their power. I'd even go as far as to say they are just as big a threat as the Queen is."

"Unfortunately, unlike the Queen, we still have no idea what their motives are." Hansel continued. "And with all of the weapons they are stockpiling, not knowing their motives is dangerous. If we knew, we'd have a better idea of what their first move will be when they come out of the shadows."

Hansel heaved a sigh. "Unfortunately, Corleone and his men seem to be just as in the dark as we are. But they don't care as long as they get their nice, big, fat paychecks from the Organization."

"And is this all the information you have?" Ozpin asked, leaving a particular part of his question unasked, a part that he knew Hansel would catch onto.

Hansel looked at Ozpin and nodded, knowing what he was getting at. "Yes, I'm afraid that's all I have." He admitted. "I have no other information to offer at the moment."

Ozpin nodded, gazing at Hansel sympathetically. "You offered plenty already."

"If we could just get our hands on Corleone," Qrow spoke up, offering his two cents, "we could force them to operate without him as their proxy and expose themselves. He's the lynchpin of Atlas, Mistral and Vacuo's criminal underworld after all, and who knows how many of them actually like this partnership with this Organization."

"And if we take out Corleone too early, we'll be fighting a war on two fronts." Ozpin reminded Qrow.

"And if we wait too long, we'll be caught off guard by the Organization." Hansel pointed out. "Sir, let me track down Corleone. I'll get him. You know I will."

"I know you will, Hansel." Ozpin told him. "But right now, I need you here. You will get your chance to continue your search, but right now you are not just a Huntsman on assignment. You're a teacher."

Hansel tightened his fists angrily. He hated being away from his mission. There was too much at stake for him, personally. However, he could not bring himself to step out of line with the professor. "As you command, Professor." He said obediently.

Ozpin smiled. "I'll message the other headmasters and alert them to your findings." He promised. "Perhaps James and the others can spare some Huntsmen to investigate Corleone's activities?"

Hansel almost snapped at Ozpin. He did not want anyone muscling in on his mission. Taking down that damn organization was _his_ responsibility. However, he remembered who he was speaking with and regained his composure. "Perhaps," he said simply.

At that moment, Ozpin then reached into a briefcase next to his chair and placed it on the table in front of him. "Speaking of your new job as a teacher, why don't we get that process out of the way?" He inquired, opening the briefcase and revealing some paperwork and a pen. "These need your signature."

Hansel sighed. "I guess there's no way out of this." He muttered as he began to read it.

"Come now, my boy, I think you'd make a great teacher." Ozpin encouraged him.

Qrow snorted, making Ozpin glare at him. "Sorry, Oz," he said, clearly trying not to laugh, "I just can't see it."

"I distinctly remember you showing up to work at Signal drunk a few times, Qrow." Ozpin reminded him. "Were it not for your expertise in combat and weapons, you would've been fired. You're not exactly a model teacher yourself."

"I'm going to have to side with Qrow, on this one." Hansel admitted, reaching the part that required his signature. "I don't see it either."

"Don't sell yourself too short." Ozpin told him. "Personally, I think you have a lot to offer the students. Give it a chance. You might find it to be quite worthwhile."

"I wonder if this is Oz trying to be hip by hiring someone young enough to be a student." Qrow muttered.

"You're not helping, Qrow." Ozpin said exasperatedly.

Hansel heaved a sigh as he signed his name. "We'll have to agree to disagree this time, Professor." He said. "But, as per your orders, I will try to teach those brats. I can't make any promises though."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Qrow narrowed his eyes. "I'll get it." He said calmly and suspiciously.

Making his way to the door, he opened it up and revealed the stern face of one Glynda Goodwitch, having finally been able to leave from Beacon for Patch. Qrow gave the woman a deadpan expression. "You could always greet me with a smile you know," he said, "otherwise, I might think you're an enemy one of these days."

"Shut up, you old drunk." She said, pushing past him.

Glynda then saw Hansel, who's expression softened upon seeing the woman. Then before any of the men could react, Glynda was in front of Hansel.

She yanked him out of the chair and pulled him into a motherly embrace. "I am so sorry, sweetie." She said. "I meant to see you while you were in the hospital, but I was never able to leave during visiting hours."

Qrow snickered at Glynda's affectionate, motherly side, reserved only for Hansel Kobalt. Hansel blushed in embarrassment. "I wouldn't have wanted you to see me in the hospital anyway." He said. "You'd fuss over me way too much if you did."

Glynda broke the embrace to look over the eighteen year old. "How have you been?" She asked. "You've been eating properly this past year? Taking good care of yourself?"

Qrow was trying even harder not to laugh. Glynda was fussing over Hansel like a mother over her child. "Of…of course I have." Hansel said in embarrassment, unable to look Glynda in the eye.

Glynda saw nothing out of the ordinary and nodded in satisfaction. "You definitely look like you have." She said before smiling. "It's good to have you home, Hansel."

Hansel let a small smile curl. "I'm glad to be home, Glynda."

Glynda then turned her attention to Professor Ozpin. "I'm sorry I was late, sir." She said. "I didn't mean to miss our meeting."

"It's no trouble, Glynda, I know you're busy." Ozpin assured her. "I'll give you a quick rundown later on. In the meantime, I think you have a reason to celebrate. Hansel is now officially part of Beacon's faculty. He will be teaching combat while you will be simply training students in Dust application."

Glynda's eyes widened as she uncharacteristically let out a happy squeal. "Oh that is wonderful!" She exclaimed, embarrassing Hansel even more.

Qrow's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "Oh, we have to celebrate this, Hansel." Glynda excitedly told him. "I know, why don't I cook you all your favorites tonight? Or even better, we could just go to some of your favorite places in Beacon when you were younger. We'll make a day out of it!"

"You…you think I'd make a good teacher?" Hansel asked, surprised.

"Oh sweetie, you can do anything you set your mind to." Glynda assured him.

"Never in my life, did I think I'd hear the most cliche parenting advice possible come out of Glynda's mouth." Qrow admitted.

Ozpin laughed at the affection Glynda had for the boy. Qrow then decided to excuse himself. "If we're done here, Oz, I'm going to see my nieces." He said.

"Of course, Qrow," Ozpin nodded before coming up with an idea. "Hansel."

"Yes, sir?" The boy in question inquired.

"Why don't you accompany Qrow to the hospital?" Ozpin suggested. "This could be an opportunity for you to get to know some of your new students."

Hansel was admittedly uncomfortable with the idea, having still not gotten used to the idea of being a teacher. He then nodded. "As you command, sir." He said as he exited the Xiao Long-Rose household with Qrow.

At the Patch Island Hospital, a warm fuzziness encompassed Ruby Rose as she slowly regained consciousness. She tried getting up, but only managed to adjust her posture from lying down to sitting up. And was that… a needle in her arm?!

Ruby hated needles.

Despite her growing experience with fighting monsters on a semi-regular basis, she was still young; and some things never changed, including certain childhood fears and superstitions. And needles were on the top of the list of those fears, among other things like the dentist. Ruby shuddered at the very thought of them.

As soon as she attempted to take out the needle, taking note of how weakly she was moving, a hand from a certain someone stopped her.

"Easy there, Ruby, that needle's there for your own good."

Ruby then turned her head and smiled at who was just talking to her. In front of her was Taiyang Xiao Long, in all of his goofy and fatherly glory. "Hi dad, it's so good to see you." She replied, before realizing something urgent she needed to address.

"Oh my goodness, where's Yang and Weiss?! Are they-"

"Thought you might ask about that first," acknowledged Taiyang, smiling proudly at his little girl's selflessness, "Their wounds were serious, but the doctors came in time and said that we can expect full recovery."

Taiyang looked relieved as well. "It was close though. Thankfully, their Aura kept them alive long enough. Thank goodness, I read Yang's report. I know she's tough, but no one should have to take a javelin to the stomach."

Ruby sighed in relief. She didn't know how she ever would cope without having any friends around. "Question number two, dad," Ruby continued, now calmer, "why is there a needle in my arm?"

Taiyang sighed. "I know, baby girl, I know you hate needles. But like I said earlier, they're here for your own good." Taiyang told her.

"That's what they all say." Ruby muttered. "But needles are evil. Everyone knows that."

Taiyang chuckled. "Sweetie, that IV is feeding you all the nutrients you need right now. Trust me, you need it inside of you. You've been out for two days."

Ruby gasped. "Seriously? Two days?"

Taiyang nodded. "What about everyone else?" Ruby asked. "How's the school?"

Taiyang looked uncomfortable for a brief moment before speaking. "The school's fine, Ruby. So is the city." He revealed. "The Grimm…they retreated."

"Retreated?" Ruby repeated. "They can do that?"

"Yeah…apparently," replied Taiyang. "It's not unheard of. There have been stories of Grimm that were thought to be…intelligent that could retreat when it became clear they could not win in a fight. Bunch of hogwash if you ask me. The Grimm are just beasts of pure hate and malice. I hope we get some answers on this soon. Until then, let's just be happy things didn't get worse."

Ruby pondered this matter for a bit longer, before having her focus broken by a very familiar scent. She tilted her head a bit and was very pleased by what she saw. "Chocolate chip cookies?" She forgot her exhaustion and her fear of needles at the sight of her favorite thing in existence.

Taiyang chuckled. "Conveniently fresh out of the oven."

Looking at the thermos next to the cookie basket, Ruby continued, "And milk, too?! You're the best, dad! Thank you-"

But before she decided to grab a first bite, an important thought suddenly occurred to Ruby. "Wait a minute, doesn't the hospital frown upon outside food?"

"Nothing that a little Xiao Long charm towards the nurses couldn't solve," answered Taiyang, "It also proved helpful that your assigned doctor was a former classmate of mine who's willing to bend the rules for me."

And before Ruby could reply, Taiyang continued, "Relax, Ruby. You're not in trouble at all. Take all the time you need; you deserve it."

Meanwhile, Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos entered the shared room of Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren, who were still recovering from their injuries. "It took us awhile, but we managed to find a place that would give us pancakes to go." Jaune smiled at Nora.

"Pancakes!" Nora cheered.

"And we brought you some as well, Ren. I know you said you didn't care what we brought you, but it just made sense to get you breakfast from the same place." Pyrrha told Ren.

Ren smiled and nodded. "Of course, thank you, Pyrrha. Thank you, Jaune. I apologize for being a bother to the both of you."

"Ren, you guys are our friends, our teammates." Jaune reminded him. "We're here to help out whenever you need it, never forget that."

"This is wonderful, isn't it?" Pyrrha suddenly asked, silencing everyone. "Any one of us could have died that night, and we're all still here."

Ren and Nora looked uncomfortable at Pyrrha's statement. Jaune patted her on the shoulder, knowing what she was thinking. "Yeah," he said, "and the important thing is, we're all still here."

"I'm not going anywhere, Pyrrha." Jaune promised her.

Pyrrha suddenly embraced Jaune, burying herself in his chest. Jaune blushed slightly but was also very confused as to why she was doing this. Ren sighed in irritation. Jaune still could not figure it out. He leaned in to whisper into Nora's ear. "He just doesn't see what's right in front of him."

Nora glared at him. "Yeah, what is with boys, am I right?" She hissed.

Ren was taken aback by Nora's statement. _What was that all about?_ He wondered.

And before he could process his ironic confusion any further, Nora changed the topic, "Oh by the way, did you remember to prepare your 'get well soon' gift cards for Team RWBY? I sure know I did!"

By then, Nora had already shifted her mood back to her usual hyperactive nature, pulling a bag out from nowhere and placing it on her shoulder.

Eyeing the bag that was on Nora's shoulder, Ren replied, "You do realize that we've already made a Team JNPR card with signatures from you, me, Pyrrha, and Jaune, right? Also, where did you even find the time to get those? I know for a fact you never left the hospital."

"It's all about the customization, silly!" continued Nora, "Why settle for an ordinary "get well soon," when we can go the extra mile with catchy slogans?"

She then unzipped her bag and said, "Here, look!"

Ren read the first card, which was labeled, "Yang in there!"

 _Well, at least Nora knows how to speak to her intended audience_ , thought Ren.

The next one was labeled, "An apple a day will keep anyone away, if thrown hard enough. Get well soon."

 _Wasn't expecting such a violent message, though I suppose it's the thought that counts_ , thought Ren.

The next one certainly caught Ren's attention. It was a plain card with marker scribblings reading, "Don't you worry; we'll get a chance to break the bad guy's legs next time! Get well soon!"

"Of course you would say that," dryly remarked Ren.

"Uh…Ren, is there any room for us to add to those?" Jaune inquired curiously.

Ren sighed. "No," he said, "Nora wrote in very large letters."

"Go big or go home!" Nora declared.

Meanwhile, Blake Belladonna had earlier woken up to a kindly doctor who promised that he had no issues treating a faunus's injuries. It made her happy, until she remembered Adam's chilling words. _"I will make it my personal mission to destroy everything you love."_

Blake shivered at the memory of those words. _Adam, you've really gone over the edge, haven't you?_

Blake sighed. _If Adam really is coming after the things and people I love…I can't stay with Ruby and the others. I have to leave…_

Before Blake could finish that grim though, the doors opened and Yang Xiao Long stepped inside wearing a hospital gown. "What up, Blakey?" She asked.

"Yang? You ended up in the hospital too?" Blake was shocked.

Yang sighed, gazing at the spot her injury at the hands of Cinder Fall had been. "Yeah," she said, "long story."

"Should you be up and about?" Blake asked.

"Nah," Yang shrugged uncaringly, "but I've always hated hospitals. I needed to move around for a bit, so I tracked down where your room was."

"So, have any doctors or nurses been giving you any trouble, what with your…you know."

Blake shook her head. "The doctor here has promised me I will experience no such trouble." She said. "I've been here for two days now, so if something were to happen, I would imagine it would've happened by now."

Yang and Blake fell silent for a moment before Yang felt like addressing the elephant in the room. Or in this case, the bull. "So, who was that Adam guy?" Yang asked.

Blake's ears drooped. "An…old boyfriend." She admitted.

"WHAT?" Yang was shocked before her eyes turned red. "Oh hell no, no so-called boyfriend is going to treat my best friend like that!"

"Yang, it's fine." Blake said.

"No, it is not fine, Blake!" Yang yelled. "That son of a bitch stabbed you!"

"No, I don't mean it's fine like that. It's just…listen, I need you to stay away from him." Blake told her. "Make sure Ruby and Weiss get that message too."

"Stay away from him?" Yang looked at Blake in confusion.

"Yang, Adam is dangerous, very dangerous." Blake told her. "And…I think he wants to hurt you guys to get to me. He almost did! Yang, Adam was aiming to maim you!"

Yang fell silent for a moment before smiling. "Well, I'd say he's not as dangerous as you think he is." Yang told her. Before Blake could respond, Yang continued. "Since that blue jackass is still alive, I'd say old Adam got a nice serving of _cold cuts_."

Blake looked at Yang in disbelief. "That was bad even for you." She deadpanned. "What are you even talking about?"

Yang smirked. "We ran into that blue jackass that thought shooting me with a fireball was a good idea. He's still alive, and Adam was nowhere in sight. Either he's dead, or got a nice little reminder not to mess with us."

Blake's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding…that guy…he took down Adam?"

Yang shrugged. "It looks like it." She replied. "Guess you won't have to worry about him for awhile."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Blake admitted.

"Yeah, well you don't have to worry about me, Weiss or Ruby either." Yang said, knowing just what Blake was thinking.

"Yang…"

"Blake, we're a team. We're practically _family_. Don't you dare think having that psycho after all of us is going to change that." Yang said. "If we did allow that, Team RWBY wouldn't be as awesome as it is."

Blake fell silent at Yang's words. "This is my problem," she then spoke up, "this is my past catching up to me. I can't involve you guys…"

"With all due respect, Blake, that is a load of crap." Yang told her. "Friends get involved in each other's business. That's how friends work."

"So don't you dare try to take this on your own." Yang continued. "Let us try to help you. Come on, give your friends a chance."

Blake could not help but cry a little. How could she leave now? Especially when she knew Weiss and Ruby would say the exact same thing if they were in Yang's position. "If Adam's alive," Blake said, "you're going to be in danger."

"And I say bring him on." Yang smirked. "I owe him a punch to that stupid masked face if he really meant to cut my arm off."

Before Blake could respond to Yang's confidence, the doors suddenly swung open. "There you are Ms. Xiao Long!" The nurse exclaimed. "You're not supposed to be out of bed!"

Blake looked at Yang in disbelief, who just smiled sheepishly.

Meanwhile, Hansel Kobalt and Qrow Branwen casually strode through the hospital. Hansel could not help but look a bit uncomfortable, evidenced by some slight fidgeting. "What's up, kid?" Qrow asked.

I hate hospitals." Hansel admitted.

"Most people do." Qrow shrugged. "What's really got you bothered?"

Hansel frowned. "Why do you think the professor asked me to become a teacher? I've never expressed an interest in the matter. I don't have any experience teaching anything. So why me?"

Sighing for a bit, Qrow replied, "Look, I'm not too fond of that line of work either. Trying to cover so much material in such a short span of time gets rather tiring and tedious; why else would I quit teaching?"

"You didn't exactly answer my question." Hansel deadpanned.

Qrow shrugged again. "I'm pretty much Oz's right hand man, and even I can't tell what he's thinking sometimes." He then gave Hansel a knowing smile. "But, he clearly sees something in you if he's willing to trust you with his students, Hansel. Try to keep that in mind."

"I don't want some run-around answer, Qrow." Hansel frowned. "What do you really think?"

Qrow sighed. "Look at what's happened, Hansel," he said, "even though we got off easy, this still exposed a horrifying reality. Humanity is on the brink of a war for survival. So, we need people who've been in the thick of it to teach the next generation how to fight and survive. And Oz doesn't want just anyone to teach that, he wants someone he trusts."

This seemed to silence Hansel, who was contemplating Qrow's words. "And for the record, that last statement wasn't a run-around answer." Qrow told him with slight irritation. "Like I said, Oz clearly sees something in you. Try to keep that in mind."

Hansel contemplated Qrow's words as well. He almost spoke up to thank Qrow for both pieces of advice, only to be drawn to the sound of two voices arguing inside a hospital room. "Father, I have to stay at Beacon!" A girl exclaimed.

"I think not, I've put up with this rebellious phase of yours long enough." A firm male's voice replied.

Hansel frowned slightly, as did Qrow. "I recognize that voice anywhere." He growled. "So, that icy hearted, holier-than-thou prick has graced this humble hospital with his hallowed presence."

Hansel ignored Qrow and walked forward. Qrow sighed. "Don't beat him up, kid." He said. "I'm going to go see my nieces. Catch up with me when you're done. I'll either be in room 307 or 308."

Inside of the room, Weiss Schnee argued with her father, Jacques Schnee, head of the Schnee Dust Company. "Rebellious phase?" Weiss was in disbelief at what Jacques was calling her time at Beacon. "We had a deal. I passed all your 'tests', so I got to go to Beacon."

"And look where mingling with riff-raff Huntsmen has gotten you, dear daughter." Jacques laughed. "In a hospital, honestly how am I going to explain to everyone when they hear that a Schnee stayed in a raggedy old hospital like this."

"Oh, I'm so sorry that my injuries are ruining your reputation, Father." Weiss could not believe the man's audacity.

"If you're really sorry, then you will come home with me." Jacques insisted. "It's clear you're not cut out for the life of a Huntress."

Weiss shook her head, surprising Jacques. "Father, the school is still standing, and my team is still together. I…I still have a place at the school. I can't just leave when I still have an education to complete."

Jacques was losing his patience with Weiss. She knew she could be braver around him when they were in public like this. And so did he. So he tried a different tactic. "You are a Schnee, you do not waste your time with work meant for cannon fodder like your 'teammates.'" Jacques callously told her. "I knew I should've kept you away from Winter after she joined the military. She's clearly a bad influence on you."

Weiss glared at Jacques without thinking. "Father," she said lowly, "don't you dare call my friends cannon fodder!"

"Don't _you_ dare raise your voice at me!" Jacques yelled, raising his hand without thinking, causing Weiss to flinch. "I am your father, you foolish girl!"

"Oh, you're her father?" Hansel decided to make his presence known. "Could've fooled me."

Jacques froze. _Damn, I let my temper get the best of me._ He realized.

Weiss looked at Hansel in disbelief, recognizing the man. _That's the blue swordsman from that night,_ she realized, _what's he doing here?_

Jacques looked at Hansel. "And just who in the world are you?" Jacques inquired.

"Oh, I was just passing through," Hansel shrugged, "but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, Mr. Schnee."

Jacques glared at Hansel. He then noticed his katana and figured out his profession. "I know what you want," he said, "how much do you want for silence, boy? Perhaps you could spend it at one of those filthy whorehouses you Huntsmen like to frequent."

Hansel glared back. "What do you take me for?" He demanded. "If I spent any time at one of those disgusting establishments, Glynda would have my ass. Don't you dare insult me with your hush money."

Hansel then looked over at Weiss. "Anyway, I'm surprised you're not considering how good your daughter continuing her studies at Beacon would be for the Schnee Corporation."

Jacques seemed to consider his words. Weiss looked at Hansel in surprise. "Explain," Jacques ordered.

"Oh, don't tell me that the great business tycoon, Jacques Schnee, doesn't know a damn thing about PR?" Hansel couldn't help but taunt the man. "Watch the news, Mr. Schnee. Support for the Huntsmen and Huntresses has been rising ever since the footage of students bravely defending Vale came out on the internet."

Jacques had heard about that. "What's your point?" He asked.

"Think about it, a Schnee on the frontlines with us _filthy, raggedy commoners_." Hansel noted. "Imagine the PR. Your daughter, doing her best for Remnant. Her involvement will bring a lot of good publicity to the Schnee name."

Jacques' eyes widened. How in the world had he not considered that? "But, if you'd much rather have your daughter home, I suppose that's fine too." Hansel shrugged. "It's your loss, Mr. Schnee."

"No," Jacques said, "I suppose there is an actual benefit to letting Weiss continue this rebellious phase of hers."

Weiss' eyes widened. Did this guy seriously just convince her dad to let her stay at Beacon? By playing on his ego and love of good publicity? Jacques turned to Weiss. "Consider yourself lucky, Weiss. This gentleman is a better debater on your behalf than you are. You can stay at Beacon."

"Fair warning though, you will be under a lot of scrutiny now, since everything you do reflects on the Schnee Family name and my company." Jacques warned her. "So you better conduct yourself in a manner befitting that name."

Jacques turned away from his daughter. He then glared at Hansel and left the room. Hansel could not help but grimace in disgust. "Sheesh," he muttered, "and I thought Ironwood was a piece of work."

"Umm…thank you, sir." Weiss spoke up.

"Hmm?" Hansel turned to her.

"Thank you," Weiss repeated, louder this time, "I…don't think I could've come up with that. So thank you. I…didn't want to leave Beacon. I wanted to stay…stay with my team."

"Don't get the wrong idea, I didn't do it for you." Hansel said. "Beacon Academy needs more manpower now, so you leaving would be a blow."

Weiss looked at Hansel. _What a strange man._ She thought.

"One more thing, I don't give a damn if that guy is your father." Hansel said as he walked away. "If he's hitting you, hit back. No one's really free until they're rid of their demons."

"You make it sound so simple." Weiss said to him.

Hansel shrugged. "When is anything ever? But no father should strike his children. You want to become a Huntress that bad? Start by standing up to the people that are even worse than the Grimm."

Weiss fell silent at Hansel's advice as he exited the room. "Okay," Hansel muttered, "Qrow said that he would either be in room 307 or 308."

As Hansel left Weiss Schnee's room, Qrow Branwen entered the room of Ruby Rose. Ruby's eyes lit up upon seeing her uncle. "Hey, Uncle Qrow!" She said happily.

Qrow let a smile curl on his lips at the sight of his niece. "Hey there, kiddo," he said. He then noticed his brother-in-law, "Hey, Tai."

Taiyang gave Qrow a curt nod. "Tai, would you mind if I talk to Ruby alone for a moment?" Qrow inquired.

Taiyang glared at Qrow, realizing where this was going. However, he could not bring Ruby into this long argument of their's. She would only start asking questions, and he could not have that. And she certainly did not need the stress of their arguments. "Fine," he said before giving Ruby a small smile, "I'm going to see how Yang's doing, sweetie."

"Okay, dad." Ruby smiled as Taiyang left the room.

Qrow then took a seat in Taiyang's chair. He then adopted a serious expression. "How are you feeling, kiddo?"

"I'm fine, all things considered." Ruby said. "I'm just exhausted."

Ruby then weakly held her hand to her head. "And I've got this killer headache, and I don't know why."

"Ruby," Qrow said, completely serious, "what do you remember from last night?"

Ruby thought it over. What did she remember? "I…remember beating Roman Torchwick and taking him to the evacuation center to be taken into custody. Then, when I heard Weiss was still in the city, Yang and I went to find her. We found Weiss, but when I saw an explosion, I was worried someone might be in trouble, so I had to go and see what happened. Then…we ran into Cinder."

Ruby's eyes widened. "And it all went bad." She said. "That guy we were trying to help. He was a blue swordsman, he got messed up real bad by that dragon. I hope he's okay. And Cinder…she got me…and then she got Weiss and Yang. Oh gods, she was going to deliver Weiss to the White Fang."

"And then what happened?" Qrow asked. "Ruby, I know it's hard to relive all that, but I need you to tell me what happened to the best of your abilities."

Ruby thought it over. What did happen after that? What the hell? She was suddenly drawing a blank. She just had…patches. Patches of memory were all she had. "I…I remember getting angry." She said. "Really angry. Cinder…that woman is pure evil, Uncle Qrow. I don't know what she wanted, but she thought it justified all of what happened that night."

"It made me so angry." Ruby remembered. "I…I wanted to hurt her so badly for everything that had happened. And…I don't know…I can't remember, did I?"

Qrow remained silent as Ruby wracked her brain to remember what happened. "I remember a sudden burst of power." Ruby continued. "Cinder screaming, but…I just can't remember how it all happened."

"Uncle Qrow," Ruby was now very worried, "what in the world is happening to me?"

"Nothing bad, kiddo," Qrow promised, "but…it looks like Ozpin was right. You were triggered last night."

"Triggered?" Ruby asked. "And what does Professor Ozpin have to do with all of this?"

Qrow looked around to make sure nobody was listening. He leaned in close to his niece. "Listen to me closely, Ruby." He said. "You're special. And I'm not talking about: 'daddy loves his special little angel.' I'm talking special like your mom was."

"Like…Mom?" Ruby was surprised at this.

Qrow heaved a sigh and almost reached for his flask, but decided it was best for him to remain sober here. "Remnant is filled with a lot of old legends. One of them is about Silver Eyed Warriors. Warriors of incredible power who were said to be able to kill Grimm with a single look."

Qrow snorted. "Bunch of hogwash if you ask me, but Oz believes every bit of it. If you want to know more, I'd talk to him about it."

"So what does this all mean?" Ruby asked softly

Qrow took a deep breath. "Well, if you believe all of this," he began, "then a lot's going to have to change. Great power, great responsibility and all that crap."

Ruby fell silent. "Look, kiddo," Qrow continued, "nobody's going to force you into this. I just…figured you should know this because of what happened."

"How can I help?" Ruby asked, silencing Qrow.

Qrow looked at Ruby in slight surprise. "If I'm special…if I'm able to make a difference, then I need to help, right? I have to help. If I'm so special…if I didn't try to do everything in my power to help, I don't think I could forgive myself."

Qrow could not help but smile. _Just like her mom._ Qrow noted before adopting a grim expression, realizing what she was getting into. _Sorry Summer, sorry Tai, your little girl seems to have made up her mind._

"Qrow," the two were suddenly cut from their conversation, turning to see an annoyed Hansel, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Ruby's face brightened up. "Hey! It's the blue swordsman!" She exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Hansel was actually taken aback by Ruby's statement. "Excuse me?"

"How are you feeling?" Ruby asked in concern. "I don't remember much, but I remember you got beat up pretty bad by that dragon."

 _You've gotta be kidding me._ Hansel was shocked. _She's the one who's in the hospital and she's worried about_ _ **me**_ _? Who the hell is this girl?_

Hansel then coughed, realizing he had to answer Ruby's question. "I'm…fine," he said, "I've always been a pretty quick healer."

Qrow could not help but snicker. _Looks like grumpy old Hansel can't take the fact that Ruby's just genuinely sweet and pure. It's like a crucifix to a vampire._

"That's great," Ruby said, "hey, can I see that katana of yours, Mr. Blue Swordsman?"

"You…want to see my sword?" Hansel definitely did not know how to deal with this girl.

"Please, please, please." Ruby pleaded.

Qrow chuckled. "Count yourself lucky, kid." He told Hansel. "If Ruby could get out of bed, she'd be bouncing around you making those requests."

Hansel paled. Annoying things invading his personal space were among his least favorite things in the world. "Please, Mr. Blue Swordsman, just let me see your sword for just a bit." Ruby had stars in her eyes as she stared at Hansel's Wolf Fang.

Hansel was completely taken aback by her requests. Just what in the world was this girl? "Hey," he said, regaining his composure, "stop calling me that. I have a name."

Ruby snapped out of her weapon-fangirl tendencies and gasped. "Oh gosh, that's right!" She exclaimed. "I never did get your name! You helped out my sister and Blake and I don't even know your name!"

"It's not like I would've stopped in the middle of a fight just to give it to you." Hansel muttered.

"I'll start!" Ruby declared. "This way, we won't be strangers anymore! My name's Ruby Rose, it's nice to meet you."

Hansel studied Ruby. _So this is her, I really wish the professor had told me this was the Silver Eyed student I was getting._ He thought, disappointed.

"It's…nice to meet you, Ruby." Let it be known that Hansel was not the type to forget his manners when the situation demanded it. And even if he was disappointed by the implications of Ruby being the Silver Eyed student Ozpin wanted him here to teach, he would not forget his manners. "My name is Hansel Kobalt."

"Great! Now we're not strangers anymore!" Ruby said happily. "It's nice to meet you too, Hansel."

Qrow coughed, getting Ruby's attention. "I wouldn't address him so casually if I were you, Ruby."

"Huh, why is that, Uncle Qrow?" She asked.

Qrow grinned and gestured to Hansel. "Ruby, I'd like you to meet your new Combat Professor at Beacon Academy. You can call him Professor Kobalt."

Ruby's mouth dropped open. "Eh?" She could only say in shock.

 **A.N: You know, if I found out that I was being taught by someone only three years older than me…that would be my reaction too.**


	4. Chapter 4: Professor Hansel Kobalt

**Chapter 4: Professor Hansel Kobalt**

Cinder Fall had lost consciousness shortly after her associates fled with her from Beacon. Since then, she had been in and out of consciousness as she recovered from her injuries, rambling furiously in her sleep about how she would kill her enemies for what they had done to her. Ozpin would suffer. The brat in red would suffer. The bastard in blue would suffer. They would all suffer for what they had done.

And now, three days after her failure, Cinder awoke in a dark room on top of a hard table that looked like the kind a cult would conduct rituals on. She tried to lean up, only to wince. She looked down to see that she had been stripped of her usual red dress and was now in her undergarments, giving her a clear view of the scar left to her by Ruby Rose.

At that moment, all of the memories of that night came rushing back. All of the failures came back to her. And it made Cinder furious. Cinder screamed angrily, tossing a fireball into a nearby wall to vent her frustration. She winced once more in pain.

"Do not struggle so much." An authoritative female voice said in the shadows. "You do not want to open your wounds."

Cinder nodded in understanding, recognizing the voice. She looked down at her scar once more and growled in anger. "A slash wound across the chest that will never heal properly," she said in anger, moving her hand up to touch the cheek where Hansel Kobalt had punched her, "I can also still feel the sting of that punch."

"All of our forces driven back." Cinder continued. "And we didn't even achieve any of our objectives!"

"The plan was perfect. We were supposed to succeed with the way things were going but we didn't!" Cinder then turned her attention to an imposing figure in the shadows. "You were wrong, Your Grace! So wrong!"

At that moment, an imposing woman in a black dress stepped out, revealing her nightmarish appearance. A pale, deathly white skin tone with black and red eyes. "No, I wasn't wrong," Salem, the master of all Grimm insisted, "we simply underestimated Ozpin this time around."

Cinder growled in anger. Salem sighed. "You're upset, I know." She said. "And you have every reason to be. You failed, Cinder."

Cinder fell silent. Salem continued to speak. "I must admit, I too underestimated Ozpin this time. It seems he's not…completely inept as a _headmaster_." Salem chuckled at the thought of that man as a teacher. "Arthur showed me the footage of the students facing off against our forces. I must admit, their bravery is something to be admired."

"But there is one thing I did not get to see in any of those provided videos." Salem noted. "The reason why you were brought here in this state. Your two associates seemed…traumatized by the events that happened."

"So, perhaps you can tell me what happened in their place now that you've awoken, Cinder?" Salem suggested in a tone that left no room for argument.

Cinder immediately started shaking in anger, remembering the two people she now hated the most. "The swordsman in blue," she snarled, "Hansel. He got in my way."

Salem frowned slightly at Cinder's behavior. It appeared that whatever happened had more of an effect on her than she realized.

Then, flames ignited around Cinder's body in anger. "And that brat with the silver eyes," Cinder continued.

Salem's attention was caught by this. "If it weren't for those two, I would've taken the entirety of the Fall Maiden's powers," Cinder claimed, "I would've destroyed Beacon. I would've killed Ozpin! Those two…they ruined everything!"

"Calm yourself, child." Salem ordered Cinder. "Take this failure, and learn from it. In time, you will show Remnant how terrifying your power truly is. Until then, rest and regain your strength under my watchful eye."

"But enough about that," Salem's lips then curled into a twisted smile, "tell me more about this…silver eyed brat you met."

Four days later, normal life resumed for the students of Beacon Academy. Well, whatever was left of the student body.

There had been many who had chosen to drop out after the events a week earlier, that Ruby Rose was shocked at how empty the school now seemed. Besides her team, there were only three other teams she actually recognized. Team JNPR had thankfully chosen to remain a part of Beacon. Also, Team CFVY and shockingly, Team CRDL chose to remain a part of the student body.

The school truly seemed empty to Ruby when she and her teammates entered the assembly hall for an announcement from Professor Ozpin. Half the hall was empty. She still remembered how at the beginning of the year, the school was full of life. She then watched as Professor Ozpin stepped onto the stage. Behind him, were the members of the Beacon Faculty. Professor Glynda Goodwitch, Professor Peter Port, Professor Bartholomew Oobleck, Professor Gertrude Peach—oh wow, Professor Peach was here, she's never around—and finally, Professor Hansel Kobalt.

Professor. Hansel. Kobalt. Ruby still could not believe that a guy who looked barely older than her sister would be teaching her. Still, how bad could it be? The guy clearly knew his way around the battlefield. After that night, all the students that chose to remain did. Judging by the look on his face, Ruby could not help but wonder if Hansel himself did not believe it either. He definitely looked uncomfortable in that blue button-up he clearly did not want to wear.

Yang Xiao Long looked like she was about to leap from her seat, charge down to the stage, and beat the living hell out of Hansel. She clearly still held a grudge over what happened. Blake Belladonna was looking at Hansel with newfound fear and respect. Just what kind of monster was this guy to beat Adam Taurus in a fight? Weiss Schnee had a neutral expression on her face, still trying to decide what kind of person this Hansel was after her experience with him in the hospital. None of them knew what Ruby knew. Meanwhile, the rest of the small student body could not help but gaze at Hansel in confusion, trying to figure out why he was there.

Before anyone could ponder Hansel's presence further, Ozpin stepped up to the podium and cleared his throat to speak. Everyone fell silent. "First, I would like to apologize," Ozpin said, "we as teachers, failed to properly prepare you."

Everyone gasped at Ozpin's statement. "No, that's a bit inaccurate," he noted, "I don't think anything could've properly prepared you for the events that took place a week ago."

"Last week, was one of the worst Grimm attacks on our kingdom in recorded history." Ozpin pointed out. "And the chaos and carnage that followed reflected as such."

"We all lost something that night. We lost friends. We lost families. We lost our hope that we can live in peace in spite of the constant danger our world is in."

Ozpin paused to let this sink in. "He should've let me give the speech." Port muttered, a bit put off by the 'doom-and-gloom' beginning.

"Absolutely not," Glynda growled, knowing Port's tendencies when it came to talking.

"However," Ozpin continued, "in place of that lost hope, we have gained a different kind, a hope that this generation of students can truly make a difference in the world."

This caused the crowd to begin murmuring amongst themselves. Ozpin gave them all a smile and continued. "I watched the videos of your actions over this past week." Ozpin revealed. "And looking back at those videos, and looking at all of you today, do you know what I see?"

When none responded, Ozpin continued. "I see students who once upon a time, came to this school with wasted energy, in need of purpose and direction. Now I see the exact opposite. I see students ready to devote all their energy to protecting others. And that shall be their purpose. I see students who have chosen their direction to be forward. Always forward, and never backward."

"Students, the woman who perpetrated that horrible event wanted to convince the world that Huntsmen today are incapable of carrying themselves with honor and mercy. I disagree." Ozpin said firmly.

"Because when I look at all of you, I see students who have carried themselves with honor to reassure the people that in spite of the horrible events that have taken place, everything is going to be okay. I see students, who risked their lives to pull civilians to safety when they could have easily left them behind to save themselves."

"You proved that woman wrong," Ozpin told them, "And since you have chosen to remain here at Beacon, it is now up to you to continue to prove her wrong."

"Know that I have the utmost confidence in all of you, because by choosing to continue your education at Beacon, you have taken your next steps into your future. In doing so, you've already demonstrated tremendous courage." Ozpin said. "And now, as your teachers, it is up to us to now properly guide you into your roles."

Ozpin then gestured to Hansel, who still looked incredibly uncomfortable on stage. "And that brings me to something a bit off topic, but very important." Ozpin said. "Students of Beacon, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to your new Combat Professor, Hansel Kobalt."

And with that, everyone but Ruby gasped in shock. "Oh no freaking way," Yang muttered in disbelief.

"But…he's so young." Weiss muttered. _Wait…that name…_

"He must be something for Professor Ozpin to hire him." Blake muttered.

Hansel heaved a sigh on the stage. _Yeah, that was the reaction I expected._ He thought, gazing at the looks of disbelief on everyone's faces.

"Now, now, calm yourselves." Ozpin said. "I know Hansel is quite young. In fact, he's young enough to be a second year student here at Beacon. However, he has been working in the field for awhile now as a full-fledged Huntsmen. I can assure you, there are fewer people who understand the heat of battle better than Hansel. As such, there is no one I trust more to teach combat."

"But what about Professor Goodwitch?" A student called out.

"Professor Goodwitch will be focusing on Dust application in an entirely different class, you will be provided new class schedules after this assembly is concluded." Ozpin replied.

Ozpin then gestured for Hansel to join him at the podium. "Is there anything you'd like to say to your new students, Professor Kobalt?" Ozpin inquired.

Hansel wordlessly stepped up to the podium. "Oh he clearly does not want to be here." Jaune Arc muttered, taking note of Hansel's body language (as well as comparing said body language with his own previous displays of awkward frustration).

"Umm, hey," Hansel said into the microphone in a flat tone. He paused for a moment before he continued. "I just want to say…you better be prepared. I'm not going to pull any punches just because you're kids."

Everyone looked at Hansel in disbelief. "So…yeah, be prepared." Hansel told them as he stepped away from podium, clearly not wanting to talk any longer.

Ozpin then cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone again. "Umm…right," he said, "on that note, this assembly is dismissed. Classes are still today, so please pick up your schedules to know what your first class today is."

With that, the student body quickly filed out of the assembly hall. Unfortunately, they were more focused on their new teacher instead of Ozpin's words of encouragement. As the last student, Ozpin gave Hansel a stern glance. "Not pulling any punches just because they're kids?" Ozpin repeated Hansel's "speech" in disbelief.

Hansel shrugged. "What, did you want me to lie and say I was going to take it easy on them?" He asked.

Ozpin tiredly ran his hand through his hair. "Hansel," he said, "these students…I know you mean well, but please don't do anything to scare them off."

Hansel shook his head and walked past Ozpin. "Going full force is the only way I know how." Hansel told Ozpin. "If they can't handle it, they need to go home. They're not doing anyone any favors by staying."

Glynda frowned at her adopted son's behavior. Before she could say anything, however, Hansel dismissed himself and left the assembly room, ready to begin his first lesson. "The poor thing," she lamented, "this is why I didn't want him traveling alone on assignment while he was so young."

"He insisted, Glynda." Ozpin reminded her. "And knowing him, he would have gone regardless. Better to give permission so that you may also support him, then worry when he does it without your knowledge."

"I know, but I think it's hardened him just a bit too much. I'm worried that working alone all this time has numbed him to the concept of opening up to and connecting with people. It's like I'm looking at a kid version of Qrow, minus the alcoholism." Glynda admitted.

Ozpin sighed. "I know, Glynda, I know." He said grimly. "All we can do is try to guide him in his new position."

"How do you think his first day will go?" Glynda asked worriedly.

"Not well," Ozpin admitted, "first days rarely go well for anyone. I still remember my first day as headmaster, I kept spilling hot cocoa all over myself because I was so nervous."

"The important thing is that Hansel sticks with this new job of his." Ozpin insisted. "With our occasional guidance, he will grow into this position. I know he will."

"Well, enough about Hansel," said Glynda, who then pulled out her Scroll to address the next topic. "Here's the updated report on Ms. Nikos' status."

Ozpin nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm listening."

Aside from the usual student Aura readings that one would expect to be recorded on a Beacon faculty member's Scroll, Glynda's Scroll, in particular, was also customized to display heart rate monitoring, blood pressure readings, and plenty of other sorts of relevant reports for measuring stress.

"As agreed upon by the both of us, I've been actively keeping a lookout for any signs of side effects from James'... _unconventional_ machine."

Ozpin could tell that Glynda was barely containing her disgust towards said machine (as well as the broader ethical murkiness it represented), but decided not to press the matter for the time being.

"As of the past few days, Ms. Nikos is as physically fit as ever," continued Glynda, "You'll find out later if the same can be said of her mental health, once we're finished with the long-awaited counseling session you and I have scheduled with her."

"Very well," Ozpin nodded, satisfied with the matter, "as long as Ms. Nikos is well in both manners, I think we can count on her in the upcoming battle ahead. Her dedication to what is right is impressive. James thinks I chose her for the role because of her power, that was merely a small part of it. The real reason was always her admirable ethics. Ms. Nikos is to Team JNPR what Ms. Rose is to Team RWBY, a moral compass that is always pointing north."

"And what about Ms. Rose?"

"Oh? I didn't expect you to ask about Ms. Rose, Glynda." Ozpin gave her a wry smile.

"Don't joke around with me, Professor, I'm just as concerned about Ms. Rose as the rest of us." Glynda admitted. "How has she taken this news?"

"Hard to say," Ozpin admitted, "Qrow said he told her about the legend. He also told me that she seemed ready to accept the responsibility, and opened my door to discuss the matter with her any time she wishes."

"And has she?" Glynda inquired.

"She has not," Ozpin replied, "I believe she's nervous. She may want to accept the responsibility, but she can't hide the fact she's scared. I don't blame her. I'm going to give her as much time as she needs to fully comprehend this new fate of hers, and when she's ready, I'll be ready to tell her as much as I can manage."

Glynda looked worried. "Do we have the luxury of waiting?" She asked.

"Luckily, yes," Ozpin replied, "thankfully, our victory was a major setback for our foes. And thankfully, we also have Hansel to serve as a measuring stick for Ms. Rose and the rest of the students to try and reach."

"I see, so part of your plan was to place Hansel in a position of power that could give the students something to strive for." Glynda realized.

"And the more they push themselves, the greater the chance Ms. Rose has of growing into her new power and responsibility at her own pace." Ozpin revealed the depths of his plan. "I'll wait as long as I have to for Ms. Rose to reach her potential…I refuse to force another into the role she'll have to play before they are ready."

Glynda went pale. "Gods," she muttered, "how cruel is this world, that we need to rely on such an innocent child to survive?"

"She's her mother's daughter, Glynda." Ozpin said with certainty. "Ruby Rose will rise to the occasion."

Speaking of Ruby Rose, the bubbly fifteen year-old excitedly gazed at her class schedule, gleeful at what the first class of the day was. "Awesome!" She cheered. "We've got combat training with Professor Kobalt!"

None of the other members of Team RWBY shared their leader's enthusiasm. Weiss' mind was still elsewhere, thinking about the advice Hansel had for her, regarding her father. Yang was still seething over the fact that someone she already disliked was now going to be her teacher. Blake, however, looked frightened.

Ruby, trying to save face, let out another cheer. "Woohoo," she said, "go Team RWBY…right?"

Ruby finally decided to address their lack of enthusiasm. "Okay, guys, what's wrong?" She asked. "Come on, tell your leader what's wrong."

"What's wrong is that I now have to take directions from a jerk who shot me with a fireball!" Yang complained, throwing a temper tantrum. "There is no justice in this world, Ruby! No justice!"

"He shot you with a fireball?" Ruby was surprised, not hearing about that.

"I think it was his way of saving her from the guy she was attacking." Blake explained. "Honestly, Ruby, I think we're all nervous about this new teacher for a lot of different reasons."

"I know Yang holds a grudge…but I'm honestly scared of the man." Blake admitted.

"Scared?" Ruby was surprised at this. "Come on, Blake, I get that he looks a bit intimidating, but he can't be that bad. He seemed nice enough when I met him in the hospital."

As always, Ruby was quite the optimist. Blake shuddered. "Ruby, you don't know the man that Professor Kobalt took down that night. That man, Adam, is a monster, a monster with tremendous power. And Professor Kobalt survived a fight against him. Yang and I even think that he might've actually _won_ against Adam."

"Yeah, I'm scared, Ruby, I'm scared that we have someone that strong as our teacher now." Blake explained. "I don't know if I can study under someone like that knowing how dangerous he really is."

"And what about you, Weiss?" Ruby asked, having heard the opinions of Blake and Yang, now wanting to hear her best friend's opinion.

Weiss thought it over. "Even if he is powerful, that doesn't translate to teaching ability." Weiss pointed out. "He's young enough to be a student. Are we sure this is the person we want teaching us to fight?"

"Well, I mean it's like making me the leader, right?" Ruby asked.

Weiss shook her head. "Ruby, when you're hired to teach, you're expected to be ready for the position. It's not at all like you being made the leader. Students need to grow into their various roles, like you did. But when hired as a teacher, you're expected to be experienced. Not young enough to be a student at the academy you're teaching at."

Weiss sighed. "I'm just saying," she said, "we shouldn't be so eager to embrace this man as our teacher, regardless of his status as a strong Huntsman. I know Professor Ozpin seems to trust him, but even so, this seems far too asinine."

Ruby took a moment to comprehend the statements from all three of her teammates. She then clapped her hands together. "Okay, team, I hear your words, and I say…" she paused for a moment before declaring. "…we give him a chance anyway!"

 _How did I know that was coming?_ The other three members of Team RWBY noted with deadpan expressions.

Yang heaved a sigh. "You're impossible to persuade once you've made up your mind." She pointed out. "Okay, Rubes, I'll give him a shot. Don't expect me to like him though."

"I still think you're being a bit too optimistic…like always." Blake admitted. "But, I suppose we do owe it to at least give him a chance."

Weiss thought back to the advice Hansel gave her in the hospital. "Perhaps…he does have something he can offer us?" She wondered, trying to find the positive in this.

"That's the spirit!" Ruby cheered. "Okay, team meeting over! We don't want to be late!"

With that, Ruby sped off, much to the chagrin of her teammates. "Damn it, Ruby!" Yang yelled at her baby sister. "None of us have speed like you do!"

"I'll save you a seat!" Ruby promised them.

Groaning in frustration at the usual hyperactivity of their leader, the remaining members of Team RWBY ran after her.

Later, inside of the big room that was the classroom for Beacon Academy's combat class, complete with a great big arena for battle. When Ruby arrived, she was surprised to see Team JNRP, Team CRDL, and even Team CFVY. She briefly looked around for a good seat, only to realize the classroom was mostly empty and there were plenty of places for her team to sit.

As the remaining members of Team RWBY ran inside, glaring at Ruby for leaving them behind, Velvet Scarlatina of Team CFVY decided to say hi to her friend. "Hey there, Ruby," the rabbit faunus said to the girl, "nice to see you're up and about."

"Hey, Velvet," Ruby greeted her before noting something that was bothering her, "why's all of Team CFVY here? Shouldn't you guys be with the 2nd years."

Velvet looked a bit grim at that statement. "There's a rumor going around that the students are being compressed into classes regardless of year due to the amount of dropouts after…you know."

"Oh, I see." Ruby said sadly, a bit heartbroken at the thought of so many of her fellow students giving up. Her face then brightened. "Hey, at least we get to spend more time together now, right?"

Velvet smiled. Ruby definitely had a way to brighten things up with her cheerfulness. "Yeah, I guess so." She said, noticing Ruby's teammates. "Umm…they seem mad."

Ruby looked to see her three teammates upon her, glaring at her. "Umm, hey guys." Ruby greeted her friends. "Hey, at least you got some cardio in today, right?"

"Don't. Even." Yang said to her sister as she took her seat with the rest of Team RWBY. "So, where's our new teacher? Shouldn't he be here by now? Class is about to start."

Blake then noticed something in a chair. It was the button up shirt Hansel Kobalt had worn during the assembly. "Guys, that's his shirt." Blake pointed out to them before adding uncomfortably. "And…his pants."

Cardin Winchester's mouth dropped open. "The hell? Is our new professor parading around in his underwear?"

"No, you moron," a new voice spoke up as a door suddenly opened near the arena, "I just hate staying dressed up in formal wear."

At that moment, Hansel Kobalt stepped out with that same flat expression he had during the assembly. He was now dressed in the combat gear he wore underneath his usual blue poncho. It was a blue, skintight shirt that showed off his well-defined upper body and black pants. His trusty katana, Wolf Fang, was sheathed at his hip.

Hansel then stared at his new students for a brief moment before heaving a tired sigh. "So, you guys are it, huh?" He asked.

 _Wow, hell of a first impression._ Everyone except Ruby thought in unison.

Hansel then took what appeared to be cue cards out of his pocket and began to read them, shocking everyone. "Okay, welcome to combat training, my name is Hansel Kobalt and I will be your new teacher…apparently." Hansel read. He then read quietly for a brief moment before he decided to incinerate them. "That was a dumb idea."

Hansel's eyes then met Ruby's. Ruby enthusiastically waved at her new teacher, while Hansel actually fought the urge to glare at her. Blake, however, caught onto his hostility. _He seems…very angry about something._ Blake noted.

Weiss's eyes then widened. After hearing that name a second time, she had finally remembered where she heard that name from. Her hand shot up, much to the annoyance of Hansel. "What?" He asked.

"Umm, Professor, if you don't mind me asking," Weiss said, "you're name…you wouldn't happen to be a member of _the_ Kobalt Family, correct?"

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "And what's it to you?"

"I'm…I'm just surprised." Weiss admitted. "I honestly thought that family was…well…"

"The Kobalt Family?" Yang looked confused. "Weiss, what's so special about that family?"

"You can't be serious!" Weiss exclaimed. "The Kobalts were famous back in the day! A family that produced brilliant scientists and powerful Huntsmen! Their pedigree is amazing! I was under the impression that family all died out."

"And you're mostly right, as you can see." Hansel noted. "Yes, you're correct. I am part of the Kobalt Family. Truth be told, I'm also the _last_."

Weiss gasped at the tone of his voice. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, "I just…I didn't…your name was bothering me so much."

"My name shouldn't matter to you." Hansel pointed out to her. "What matters is my title at the moment: Professor."

"Right, I understand, my apologies, Professor Kobalt."

Hansel nodded, seemingly satisfied with her apology. "Okay," He heaved another sigh, "so, I'm kinda new here. Would someone mind telling me just what Glynda's been teaching you all?"

Everyone gazed at Hansel hesitantly, no one bothering to answer his question. Hansel rolled his eyes at this. "Come on, I don't bite, I cut, there's a difference." He said. "Someone stop sitting around like a damn garden statue and answer the question."

Pyrrha Nikos hesitantly raised her hand. Hansel narrowed his eyes. _The new Fall Maiden,_ he noted, _nice to see she stuck around. I'd have to drag her back myself is she didn't._

"Spartan," Hansel called on Pyrrha. Yeah, he did not know her name, nor did he really care, honestly.

"Umm, it's Pyrrha, sir, Pyrrha Nikos." Pyrrha introduced herself.

"Don't care, I'll take time to learn your name later, _much later_. Now answer the question." Hansel said impatiently. "What has Glynda been teaching you all this past semester?"

Pyrrha was a bit taken aback by how rude Hansel was, but chose to answer the question regardless. "We've been learning to manage our Aura and have undergone basic sparring sessions."

Hansel stared at Pyrrha, making the girl feel uncomfortable. "And?" He asked.

"And?" Pyrrha repeated in confusion.

"Yes, and what else have you learned?" Hansel asked. "That can't be all of it."

Pyrrha looked a bit uncomfortable. "I'm…afraid that is all of it, sir."

Hansel stared at every single student in disbelief. An awkward silence fell over the room. Hansel began to pace across the arena back and forth for a bit before breaking that silence. "So you all spent _an entire semester_ learning something you should've already learned at combat prep schools like Signal Academy?" He sounded exasperated.

"Umm…well, I suppose when you get down to it, yes." Pyrrha said nervously.

"And are there any second and third years who have learned differently at least?" Hansel asked.

Yatsuhashi Daichi of Team CFVY was quick to answer. "We've mainly gone out on various assignments sir, but when we do attend combat training, we're still reminded to properly manage our Aura."

Hansel froze in place for a moment before putting on the biggest, fakest smile in existence. "Well, gee," he said, "then why am I even here? I mean, I'm clearly surrounded by prodigies, geniuses that only come around once in a generation. Students who are already ready to become full fledged Huntsmen."

"He's mocking us, isn't he?" Velvet whispered to her leader and friend, Coco Adel, who nodded in utter disbelief.

"I mean, who cares about Semblance training, or upping the pace of sparring sessions to a more realistic setting?" Hansel wondered, clearly sarcastic now. "No, no, no, Aura management! A basic that kids in combat schools learn right after they design their weapons! That obviously takes priority!"

"Oh, I get it!" Nora Valkyrie declared. "You're making a joke, right?"

Hansel gazed at Nora, took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I am." He said before turning his attention to Ruby. "You, you can confirm Spartan's statement, right?"

Ruby nodded. Hansel heaved a sigh. _Waste of my damn time,_ he thought, trying to keep his anger from bubbling to the surface, _I ask for professionals and I get brats who need me to hold their hands instead._

"Okay," Hansel said, "while I do agree that Aura management is important—hell, my own personal fighting style revolves around such—you do not need to spend an entire semester on it when you should've learned it in _combat schools_."

A few of the students flinched at the sharp tone in Hansel's voice. "Well, to be fair, Professor Kobalt," Jaune spoke up, "we also did a lot of sparring."

"And how many of those sparring sessions did Glynda coach you instead of letting you cut loose and use your own instincts?" Hansel asked. "And don't answer that question, I don't think I'll like the answer."

At that moment, even Ruby was starting to grow uncomfortable in this class. "Okay," Hansel said, "I knew this job was going to be stressful, but it looks like I underestimated just how stressful it would be. Gods forbid I catch a break every once in awhile."

"Now, good news is, you all can take it easy today." Hansel said. "We're going to recreate those sparring sessions. The only difference is, I'm going to keep as quiet as possible and let you fight it out until one of you can't continue."

"Umm, Professor," Blake nervously spoke up, "that seems very unwise. Professor Goodwitch coaches us so much to make sure we don't do too much damage to each other. To remove yourself from the sparring sessions could lead to trouble."

Hansel glared at Blake. "I don't think you understand just yet, Little Bow Peep." Hansel said to her. "I'm in charge now. I get to run my class the way _I_ want to."

"That may be true, sir, but Blake is correct." Weiss defended her teammate. "Without your direct supervision and coaching, someone could get hurt."

Hansel sighed again. "You damn kids still don't get it." He muttered in annoyance.

"Don't get it?" Cardin, to his credit, was not going to let this guy talk down to anyone. "Look pal, we were in real fights! We were all out there in the thick of it during the Vytal Festival!"

"And you survived, congratulations." Hansel applauded. "But tell me, how much of it do you think was attributed to luck?"

Everyone fell silent at this. "You think you've got it all figured out, but you couldn't be further from the truth." Hansel said. "The fact is, sometimes these academies do more harm than good when they coddle students like you. It creates generations of Huntsmen, who don't really understand what it's like to be in constant danger."

"We're training to fight Grimm!" Yang exclaimed. "Of course we know what it's like!"

"No, you really don't." Hansel insisted. "First of all, do you really think you can count on Glynda to constantly coach you through everything once you're out in the real world. Hell no! Once you're out there, all you can rely on is yourself, and whoever you're working with, and that's the best case scenario."

"Now, let's say you go out there and get attacked by Grimm. Oh, but thanks to Aura management training, you manage to last a pretty long time. Congrats, you're one tough nail. But wait, you never learned how to be a proper hammer, and now you're dead, you idiots."

"I have a proper hammer." Nora chirped.

"Shut your damn mouth, Sparky." Hansel told Nora before continuing without missing a beat. "Here are the facts. If that's really all you've learned, then the only reason you're all here today is because of luck, plain and simple. Even if you survived everything that happened in Vytal, I don't think I'm out of left field when I say what happened was a major shock to your system, because you weren't properly prepared for that."

"But state the obvious, you can't rely on luck forever. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I blame you for having to rely on luck. It's like I said, you've all been coddled by academies that have been criticized in the past for being too tough on students. As a result of those criticisms, the standards were lowered. Now, any loser with a weapon can become a Huntsman, but as a result, the quality has gone down. You know what that means? It means that we live in a world of idiots who can't seem to figure out what it takes to stay alive."

"But now, things are going to be different, because I'm teaching this class." Hansel revealed. "Recess is over. From here on out, we're going to find out who among you actually has potential, and who needs to just drop out and stop wasting everyone's time."

Everyone now looked immensely frightened of their new professor. "So I'll say it again, we're going to have you all spar with each other. We've got an even number, so it can be done. I'm not going to say anything. I'm just going to sit back, observe, and figure out where you all stand, one by one."

Velvet nervously raised her hand. "What is it, Chappy?" Where in the world did Hansel get _that_ nickname?

"Professor, besides trying to determine our current level of strength, is there anything you want us to take away from these sparring matches?" She inquired.

Hansel grinned. "Well, what do you know, a smart question." He said. "I'll tell you what, if there is something I want you all to take from these matches, it's this."

Everyone paled at Hansel's next sentence. "How do you properly fight your fellow man?"

Everyone then looked at each other, trying to comprehend their professor's words. "Professor," Velvet said again, "you don't really mean to focus on facing off against other people when our enemy are the Grimm, do you?"

"Why should that matter to you, Chappy?" Hansel inquired. "Like I said before, this is my class, so I get to decide how to run it."

"But let me get one thing straight, you're a damn fool if you think Grimm are the biggest monsters in Remnant. You will find that there are plenty of humans and faunus that are far worse than any Grimm."

Hansel gazed out at some of his students. "As I'm sure some of you have realized by now."

"So let me just make something perfectly clear. If you get hurt, that's why we have a medical wing." Hansel reminded them. "I'm not going to hold your hands through these sparring matches. The enemy—regardless of who it is—won't offer you that courtesy either."

"We're training the next generation of Huntsmen at Beacon." Hansel pointed out. "That means, you need to understand the life of a Huntsmen."

"Now, anymore questions?"

Needless to say, the class was too frightened to ask any more questions. "Excellent," Hansel said, "now, first match of the day. White Eyes, Blondie, you're the first match. Get your asses down here."

Fox Alistair calmly got to his feet to walk down to the arena while Yang glared at Hansel, clearly tired of his shit. However, the two joined their teacher in the arena. "Alright, get going." Hansel clapped his hands together. "Chop, chop. Real battles are started by the combatants, not some referee."

And so, for the next few hours, Hansel randomly called down students with nicknames that were quite frankly degrading. Eventually, they reached the final sparring match of the day, Ruby Rose vs. Cardin Winchester.

Cardin hefted his mace onto his shoulder. "Okay, Rose, you better be ready to lose."

 _I am not going to embarrass myself in front of this psycho._ Cardin thought to himself.

Ruby smirked and unleashed Crescent Rose. "Hate to break it to you Cardin, but I'm always ready." She said before quickly adding. "Not to lose, just…you know, ready in general."

Hansel looked at Ruby in disbelief, physically restraining himself from face-palming at the girl. _This girl…she just doesn't get it._ He concluded.

Needless to say, Hansel was furious that Ruby was the silver eyed student he got. He honestly hated her existence right now. He hated her annoying energy. He hated how damn happy she was. He hated how immature she was. He hated that she was just a damn optimistic brat with no sense of the weight of her responsibility. And most importantly, he hated that she was one of the two reasons he had been forced to come back to Beacon when he had a mission to complete. A mission that was the very reason for _his_ existence at the moment.

Hansel Kobalt despised Ruby Rose. In the few days he had known her, Hansel had already concluded that she was not worth the effort of teaching. And he would never forgive her for making Ozpin think such.

And so, Hansel watched as Ruby decimated Cardin, who clearly stood no chance. _He's not exactly worth the effort either._ Hansel noted as Cardin was knocked around by Ruby's superior speed.

Then, when Cardin was knocked onto his back, Ruby could not resist celebrating. "Aww yeah!" She declared. "Victory for Ruby Rose!"

Ruby then turned to Hansel. "How was that, Professor?" She asked. "I've got some pretty sick moves, right?"

Hansel gazed at Ruby for a moment before an idea came to mind. "That wasn't much of a challenge, wasn't it?" He inquired, setting his plan into motion.

"Umm…well, I don't want to say anything bad about Cardin." Ruby replied.

"Just because you won doesn't mean Mongo here is completely useless." Hansel referred to the knocked out Cardin. "After all, you're something of a prodigy, are you not?"

Blake's eyes widened, detecting the malice in the tone of Hansel's voice. _What is he up to?_ She wondered.

Ruby blushed in embarrassment. "Aww, well, I wouldn't call myself a prodigy." She admitted.

"Oh, but you are," Hansel pointed out in a disturbingly pleasant tone of voice, "you're fifteen, and you were accepted into Beacon by Professor Ozpin himself. I think it is pretty safe to say you are a prodigy."

"You clearly need more of a challenge," Hansel pointed out, "would you like a challenge?"

"Umm, what did you have in mind?" Ruby inquired.

Hansel's next words made Ruby smile in excitement. "If you're up for it, how about a second sparring match against me? We'll see how strong you really are."

There was a collective gasp amongst the students. Ruby's smile widened in excitement at the thought of really getting a chance to test her skills against a teacher of all people. Hansel, however, had some darker thoughts in mind.

 _I'm going to roast this damn girl._ He thought. _I'll run her right out of this school._

 **A.N: Boy, for all of you who were starting to like Hansel, ha, ha. Brace yourselves, folks, you are in for some shit.**


	5. Chapter 5: Red vs Blue

**Chapter 5: Red vs. Blue**

Yang Xiao Long immediately voiced her displeasure at this sudden turn of events. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" She yelled, glaring at Hansel Kobalt. "What the hell are you thinking, huh? You can't just challenge one of your students to a fight!"

Hansel glared right back at Yang. "Yes, I can," he said, "I don't know how many times I'm going to have to reiterate this. This is my class; I get to run it the way I want."

"Yeah, but this is going too far!" Yang exclaimed. "You can't seriously expect me to be okay with you sparring with my baby sister, you psycho!"

Ruby Rose looked at Yang with a mixture of hurt and confusion. To her, even if Hansel was a bit harsh, there was no reason to call him names. Also, why did she think she could not hold her own in a spar with a teacher? Hansel shrugged. "I don't expect you to, but it's not up to you, Blondie." Hansel reminded her. "It's up to the runt."

Blake Belladonna leaned in and whispered into Weiss Schnee's ear. "He's right, Ruby can easily back out of this, and she should. This guy…he's a terror, she can't beat him."

"Don't worry, Ruby's reckless but she's not stupid enough to-"

"Let's fight, Professor!" Ruby's voice cut off Weiss's whispering.

Weiss and Blake both shot out of their seats, horrified. "WHAT?" They both exclaimed in disbelief.

Looks of horror set in on the faces of everybody present except Cardin Winchester (who was still laid out from his brief spar with Ruby) and Hansel (who was already setting his plan into motion). Hansel smirked triumphantly at Yang. "Well, you heard her, back in your seat, Blondie." He told her.

"I am not going to allow this." Yang told him. "I don't care if you are my teacher, you are not fighting Ruby!"

"Yang, sit down!" Ruby suddenly yelled at Yang, shocking her.

"R-Ruby?" Yang looked heartbroken at her sister yelling at her.

"You really think I can't win? That I'm not even capable of at least holding my own?" Ruby asked.

"Ruby, this isn't about any of that; of course I know you're strong." Yang told her.

"Ruby, forget your pride and back out, now!" Blake yelled at her. "You can't beat him!"

"This isn't about pride, Blake." Ruby shook her head. "This is about so much more than that; so much more."

 _"You are special Ruby."_ She remembered her Uncle Qrow's words.

 _If I'm special,_ she thought, _then I need to be strong, I need to be able to make a difference. I can't let myself be afraid of anything. I need to be strong, this…this is training._

"You dunce!" Weiss screamed. "If it's not about pride, then what is it about?"

Ruby readied Crescent Rose. "Answers." She said.

Hansel raised an eyebrow at this. _Not about pride, but answers._ He was admittedly confused by her statement. _Alright, brat, you want an answer, here's my answer. You are too weak to make a difference in this world, too weak to have the responsibility you've been given, and I'm going to prove it to you._

"Ruby…" Yang tried one more time.

"Yang, I'm sorry," Ruby said, genuine in her apology, "but please, don't try to stop me."

"Sit down, Blondie, I won't tell you again." Hansel was losing his patience with Yang.

Yang gave Ruby one last worried, heartbroken gaze, before giving Hansel an angry glare and returning to her seat with a visibly worried Blake and Weiss. Hansel then took his Wolf Fang and brandished it at Ruby. "So, you're absolutely okay with this?" Hansel wanted her to say it, so that no one else could complain about it.

"I am, Professor." Ruby told him. "This…I need this."

Hansel gave the young girl an impassive gaze. "So do I," he admitted.

Ruby took a moment to take inventory in her head of the kind of bullets she could use. _Fire, ice, electricity, and one explosive round too._ She thought. _If I use them correctly, I can give him a good match._

"Well, come then," Hansel said calmly, "Don't worry, I'll let you make the first move."

Ruby vanished into rose petals, speeding towards Hansel. "She's moving so fast!" Jaune Arc exclaimed, still not used to Ruby's simple but powerful Semblance: Speed.

"Her speed's improved." Lie Ren noted. "Even some veterans might have trouble keeping up with her."

Hansel then surprised everyone by ducking underneath the rose petals and stabbing upwards, just as Ruby came out of the rose petals, trying to strike Hansel with Crescent Rose. However, the Wolf Fang was now between Ruby and Crescent Rose's blade. Ruby's eyes widened, her eager and determined look now replaced by one of fear.

Pyrrha Nikos gasped in shock. _He has her trapped!_ She realized.

 _He stabbed upwards to keep her from simply pulling back with rifle fire. Now she has to take extra time to swing Crescent Rose to the side to get it out of the trap it's in and leave herself wide open!_

Ruby gambled on being fast enough to get away from Hansel and swung Crescent Rose to the side, the only way she could get it out of this trap she was in. However, Hansel was also fast, delivering a high kick to her stomach, knocking her away from him.

Hansel then ignited his left hand and tossed a small black fireball that struck Ruby, pushing her further away from him. Ruby shrieked in pain and surprise as her Aura worked to shield her from the brunt of the attack.

"Ruby!" Yang yelled in concern.

Hansel frowned impassively, uncaring of the fact that he had tossed a fireball at his own student. _That was pitifully simple._ He noted. _She relies way too much on her Semblance. Not only that, but she had no answer after I briefly took her scythe out of the equation. If she were a prodigy, she'd be smart enough to know that there's more to fighting than just her weapon._

 _The fact is, no matter how impressive Professor Ozpin thinks she is,_ Hansel nonchalantly blocked bullets from Crescent Rose, _she's just a pitiful one-trick pony._

Ruby then leapt at Hansel again, swinging Crescent Rose wildly at him. Hansel calmly blocked each of her swings with incredible ease, moving enough to keep Ruby from effectively training Crescent Rose's on him for a shot. _I can't get a clear shot!_ She thought, frightened.

Hansel's frown deepened, noticing her hand desperately trying to move to the trigger, but stopping every time she realized she did not have a shot. _She has no faith in her ability to win without her marksmanship. I can't believe the professor fawns over her so much. No, I can't believe the world fawns over this brat. There really is something wrong with this world if this is considered acceptable among Huntsmen._

Hansel then moved inside of the space between Ruby and Crescent Rose and grabbed the staff of her scythe, keeping himself away from the blade and the gun attachment. He yanked forward, pulling Ruby towards him and letting go of the staff. Ruby shrieked in fear before being grabbed by the throat and then driven to the ground.

Yang screamed in a mixture of horror and rage as she shot out of her seat before being pulled back down by an equally worried Blake and Weiss. Hansel glared down at the frightened girl, pointing Wolf Fang at her face. "That's twice I could've killed you now." He told her. "I'm not impressed, Brat."

"Let me go." Ruby told him. "I…I can still fight."

Hansel glared at Ruby before getting to his feet. "Fine," he said as he let go of Ruby's throat and let her get up.

 _So she's got some fight left in her, huh?_ Hansel inwardly rolled his eyes. _Not much of a fight, but a fight all the same; I guess if I'm going to make my point, she needs to be thoroughly broken._

Ruby got up and immediately went on the offensive. "Yah!" She yelled, swinging Crescent Rose wildly at Hansel, who was this time simply dodging her attacks.

"Hey, she's got him on the defensive now!" Jaune declared.

"No," Pyrrha shook her head, visibly horrified by how the match was going, "he's just…toying with her now."

The other members of Team RWBY watched in horror as their leader desperately tried to score a hit on their new, unpopular teacher. _If I can just get him to move far enough, I can load up a shot that'll leave him vulnerable!_ Ruby told herself as she reached in and pulled out an electric dust cartridge.

 _She's creative at least, I'll give her that much._ Hansel noted.

Ruby quickly loaded the dust cartridge into Crescent Rose. "Take this!" Ruby yelled, firing electric bullets that actually met their mark, paralyzing her professor.

"She got him!" Yang was briefly given hope at the sight of her little sister actually scoring a hit on the man.

Blake looked at Hansel in confusion. _He didn't take that blow on purpose, did he?_ She wondered.

Ruby grinned and leapt at Hansel, ready to cut him down with Crescent Rose. However, Hansel surprisingly managed to move just enough through his electricity-induced paralysis and aim his left hand downwards.

Shooting fire at the floor, Hansel was propelled above Ruby, who was forced to shield herself from the flames. Hansel then switched sword-hands and aimed his right hand at Ruby's back, shooting her with more dark flames.

"Oh no!" Weiss yelled, horrified by what she just saw.

"Another direct hit." Blake added.

Yatsuhashi Daichi then surprised everyone by speaking up. "He doesn't strike me as the type to use strategy, but he's actually pretty clever." He noted.

"What do you mean, Yatsuhashi?" Coco Adel asked curiously.

"He used that first blast of fire to propel himself above Ruby and dodge her attack, but it also created a sort of smokescreen to blind her to his next move." Yatsuhashi explained.

Everyone looked at Yatsuhashi as he continued to explain. "And after that, he was quick to switch hands and fire another blast straight into Ruby's blind spot. Pulling off a move like that takes a good understanding of not only his own Semblance, but also physics and timing."

Yatsuhashi shook his head in disbelief at the situation. "The man is arguably insane, but he's also a genius in combat. I can at least see why Professor Ozpin would want him as a teacher with combat instincts like that."

"So then, Yatsuhashi," Velvet Scarlatina spoke up, "what are the chances Ruby has of winning this?"

Yatsuhashi gave a grim prediction without hesitation. "Zero," he admitted sadly, "he's definitely a veteran Huntsman. No mere student could hope to best him."

Hansel, having landed on the ground, rushed Ruby while she was still recovering from his last attack. He was quick to hold the Wolf Fang to her throat and placed his free hand on her face as though he were planning to slit her throat. "That's three times I could've killed you now." Hansel pointed out to her. "This is getting pathetic, Brat. Just give up."

"Not yet," Ruby responded without hesitation, "I can still keep going! Please, Professor, let me go so we can keep fighting!"

"This is going too far." Yang growled angrily. "I'm putting a stop to this."

"No, Yang, don't." Blake said.

"Don't try to stop me, Blake, I'm not gonna let this guy hurt my little sister in front of me!" Yang told her.

"Ruby agreed to this, Yang. I don't like it any more than you do, but she agreed to it." Blake reminded her. "Also, in spite of his…brutal methods, I don't think the professor is actively trying to do any lasting damage to Ruby. He's keeps telling her all of the times he could've killed her, asking her if she's ready to stop. It's like he's trying to get her to give up. It's like he has some sort of other goal in mind."

"What goal would that be?" Weiss wondered.

"I don't know," Blake admitted, "but I wish I had caught onto this sooner. The professor has more resentment for Ruby than anyone else right now."

"Why?" Yang wondered, still frantic and worried.

Blake shook her head. "I don't know about that either."

Weiss looked worried for her best friend, but heaved a sigh and came to a simple conclusion. "Ruby told us not to stop her. If the professor really isn't trying to leave any lasting damage, then we shouldn't step in. If we tried to interfere now, Ruby's confidence will be shot. It's not right, but as our leader, she needs to know we believe in her, for better or worse."

"You can't be serious." Yang muttered.

"Yang, I know she's your sister, but she's also your leader. Please, think about Ruby as a Huntress right now, not your sister." Weiss pleaded.

Yang looked at Ruby once more. _Ruby…_ she could still only worry for her.

Hansel glared at Ruby. "I've killed you three times already." He reminded her. "And you still want to continue? What the hell are you trying to prove here, huh?"

"Right now, I want to prove that I can keep going, Professor!" Ruby told him. "I won't quit, not until I'm sure."

"Sure about what?" Hansel demanded. "That you can be some hero?"

"I think it's time for you to grow up!" Hansel yelled as he moved his hand from Ruby's face to her arm, gripping it tightly. He then drove his sword into the ground and held his palm out to the side. "You're weak, you damn brat!"

Hansel then shot fire from his palm and started spinning fast with Ruby still in his grip. "And you always will be! All the resolve in the world means nothing if you're just some weakling with zero potential!"

With those damning words, Hansel took Ruby into the air and slammed her to the ground onto her back. Crescent Rose was wrenched from her grip by the impact, sliding across the ground far away from the two, coming to a stop near a wall.

"He disarmed her!" Pyrrha exclaimed, horrified.

"Ruby's in trouble without Crescent Rose!" Yang added.

"My…my scythe." Ruby said weakly, reaching out for her weapon.

She then gasped as Hansel stamped his foot onto her chest, holding her in place. The combat professor glared spitefully down at her as he delivered one more damning statement. "Professor Ozpin was not rational." He concluded. "Someone like you should've never been allowed into this school."

Everyone gasped. That was too far. "Ruby worked hard to get into this school!" Jaune exclaimed. "You have no right to say that to her!"

"As a teacher in this school, I have every right." Hansel replied coldly. "And now that I have seen her fighting in action, I can conclude without a doubt, that she doesn't belong here."

Hansel glared at Ruby. "I now could've killed you four times." He reminded her. "First, I could've increased the strength of the flames and burned you alive. Second, I could've crushed your windpipe. Third, slit your throat. Finally, I could drive Wolf Fang right into your face if I wanted to."

"Conclusion: You don't belong here. And if you had any respect for the Huntsmen, you would leave this school immediately."

Ruby remained silent. Hansel continued to speak. "Don't get me wrong, it's not like the fact that you're totally below my level is the reason I think you should leave. I'm not that cruel. How this fight would end was obvious from the get-go. No, the reasons you need to leave this school go beyond this fight."

"First, you aren't as confident in your abilities as you let on. If an opponent is clearly beyond your level and your unable to control the pace of the fight, you get frantic. Second, an uncreative use of your Semblance. Were it not so pitifully simple, that wouldn't be a problem. And finally, you're absolutely useless without your scythe."

 _But most importantly, I will never forgive you for your inability to truly understand the responsibilities of your existence, and for forcing me to step away from the reason for my existence!_ Hansel added inwardly, clearly restraining himself from saying that as well. _Ruby Rose, I swear I'm going to drive you out of this school, no matter what! Even if I have send you home crying!_

Ruby fell silent, her confidence beginning to wane due to Hansel's brutally accurate assessment. This sparring match was a disaster on all accounts. "So by all means, explain to me why you belong in this school." Hansel told her. "Especially since it seems we both agree that I am right on all accounts."

"What exactly are you going to do if you graduate and end up in the field, huh?" Hansel inquired. "What happens when these issues become a problem when lives are in your hands and you've got missions to complete? Are you going to rely on whoever you're working with to save your pitiful life? Or even worse, are the people you're supposed to protect going to have to protect you?"

Ruby could not answer Hansel's statements. "Time to give up, Brat." Hansel told her. "We both know you're not cut out for this life."

Meanwhile, Professor Ozpin heaved a grim sigh as he was sipping his cocoa, watching a monitor that had everything on display, silently lamenting his apprentice's behavior. _Hansel is the kind of man who has little patience for idealism, instead putting much of his faith in strength. So he has a tendency to harshly judge idealists, like Ms. Rose. Although, I can tell it's not just her idealism that is angering Hansel. It appears I made a mistake in not addressing his anger over being pulled from his assignment._

 _Damn,_ Ozpin lamented, _I knew how important it was to him, and yet I expected him to just back off and maybe even hand it off to people he doesn't even trust that much like it was nothing. And now Ms. Rose has to pay the price for my mistake._

Ozpin took another look at the fight. _Still, he's not trying to kill or maim Ms. Rose. I think he just wants to drive her into dropping out of Beacon by destroying her confidence. The only question now is how will Ms. Rose respond._

"One more," Ruby suddenly told Hansel.

"Excuse me?" Hansel frowned.

"One more," Ruby repeated, "I…I don't want to give up yet."

"Why?" Hansel demanded. "Why not?"

"Because someone told me that I _can_ make a difference in this world." Ruby admitted. "That I am capable of doing such a thing."

"As a child, my mom and my sister…they used to read to me." Ruby told Hansel. "Stories about great heroes who never gave up and eventually saved the world with a strong body and a strong heart."

"I wanted to be like those heroes," Ruby revealed, "because when I see the world around me…I see a world that needs to be saved more than anything."

"And you think you can succeed where everyone else has failed?" Hansel demanded.

"It's not a question of whether I think I can, it's that I have to try." Ruby replied. "So please, just let me try one more time, Professor."

Hansel frowned for a brief moment before nodding. "Fine," he said, "but just so we're clear, this is the last time. And I'm not just going to let you get your scythe."

Hansel got off Ruby and let her get to her feet. Hansel stood between her and her weapon. "Are you sure about this?" Hansel asked. "I won't be held responsible if you really want to keep going."

Ruby nodded without hesitation. Hansel sighed. "You want to be a great hero? A Huntress? Then show me that you can overcome a great obstacle?"

"But just so we're clear, your chances are low." Hansel told her. "You try to move to the sides, I'll catch you. You try the head on approach, I'll smash you into the ground. The fact is, there's only one way this ends. You won't be standing by the time I'm done with you."

Ruby looked at Hansel, then at her Scythe which was still behind him. _I know at this point I have no chance at beating him._ She admitted. _But even so, I don't want to just give up. This isn't about winning anymore, this is about proving a point. Blake, I'm sorry but I lied, this is about pride, but also so much more. If I really am able to make a difference, then I'm going to give my all to prove that I belong!_

Easier said than done. Ruby was still useless without Crescent Rose, and she knew it, so she needed a new plan. _He can catch me while using my Semblance. If only Blake were here, she could use her shadow clones to distract him and then I could…_ Ruby trailed off as a memory suddenly flashed through her mind.

 _"Huh, you want to know how I make copies of myself? Ruby, it's my Semblance."_ Blake had told her.

 _"Yeah, but I was thinking of one day trying something like that, so how do you do it?"_ Ruby had wondered.

 _"Ruby, it's not that simple, our Semblances are a reflection of who we are as people. For example, your Semblance is a reflection of the fact that you're hyperactive. Mine is…well, that's a story for another time. The point is, you can't split yourself apart like I can with my clones."_

 _"Wait, but if my Semblance is a reflection of who I am, then what if I suddenly had a desire to clone myself or something like that?"_

 _"Again, not that simple, but…Semblances can apparently evolve over time. Maybe there's a part of you that you just haven't tapped into that can grant your Semblance more power."_

 _A part of me, huh?_ Ruby wondered to herself as that memory came to a close. _What part of me haven't I tapped into though?_

"I'm losing my patience here, Brat." Hansel told Ruby, cutting her out of her thoughts. "Unless you plan to give up now of course."

 _I don't want to give up._ Ruby told herself again. _I want to keep pushing forward, because I want to be a Huntress, like Mom was._

Ruby got into what appeared to be a sprinter stance. "What is she planning?" Yang wondered from her seat. "She's not going to try rushing him again, is she?"

"That may be the best she can hope for." Blake grimly noted.

Hansel narrowed his eyes, realizing what Ruby was planning. _A waste of a Semblance._ He concluded. _Youth is wasted on the young, and power is wasted on the foolish._

Ruby started running towards Hansel, picking up speed as she slowly moved into her Semblance. _I know that it's not enough! Do you think I'm not aware of how weak I am? That night during the Vytal Festival revealed that to me! I still do have a long way to go! But it doesn't change the fact that I still want to become a Huntress! And I want to be a Huntress because I want to save as many people as I can! And if my Semblance isn't enough to do all that as it is now, then I'll just go beyond and force it to evolve!_

Hansel took aim at Ruby, ready to blast her with one last burst of dark flames. "Don't do it!" Pyrrha yelled. "A direct attack from those flames could really hurt her!"

"Oh she'll be fine as long as she dodges!" Hansel exclaims.

 _But I know I'm just one person, and I know I still have a long way to go, but that doesn't mean I can't try! Because I want to try! And most importantly, if there's a chance that I can save people from my own pain, I'm going to take it!_

 _I know I'm insignificant! I know I'm weak! I know one person shouldn't be able to make such a difference! But damn it, I'm going to try!_

At that moment, Hansel fired a tremendous blast of flames from his hand at Ruby. His eyes widened slightly, realizing she had no intention of dodging. Then, much to his surprise, the rose petals that currently made up Ruby's body suddenly split into three copies. There was a collective gasp amongst everyone. Hansel's eyes widened further. He had not expected this.

Ozpin almost dropped his mug in shock as he stared at the fight from his monitor. His eyes then widened in realization. "Of course, how could we have been so foolish." He said to himself. "Ms. Rose's Semblance isn't a reflection of her hyperactive nature."

"It's a reflection of her desire to save people as quickly as possible, and without fail. It stems from her desire to be a hero! And this sudden evolution in her Semblance is a reflection of her desire to save even more, even though she's just one person."

Ozpin's lips then curled into a happy smile. "You must be so proud of your daughter, Summer."

The three waves of rose petals sped around Hansel, much to his shock and reformed into Ruby next to her Crescent Rose. Ruby quickly scooped up her trusty weapon and loaded a new dust cartridge. _Please let him at least feel this!_ She thought, firing.

Hansel looked at Ruby in sheer disbelief as the blast came towards him. _Oh shit! Oh shit! OH SHIT!_ Hansel screamed inwardly as he braced for the blast.

Then, as soon as the bullet struck, it blew up, enveloping Hansel in an explosion and revealing that Ruby had loaded Crescent Rose with Dust specifically rigged to explode. "A direct hit!" Yang cheered.

"Way to go, leader!" Weiss cheered, proud of her best friend.

Blake's mouth was open in surprise before she gave Ruby a smile and a nod in acknowledgement. She knew that Ruby was thinking of their chat back then. As the smoke cleared, a singed Hansel was guarding himself, glaring at Ruby from behind his arm. "Hey, Professor Kobalt," Ruby smiled triumphantly, "I'm still standing."

Rather than be proud, Hansel was furious. He narrowed his eyes. _Why you,_ he growled before he snapped completely, _you're going to pay for that!_

The ground cracked beneath Hansel's feet as he leapt at Ruby, who was caught off guard by Hansel's sudden movement. Pyrrha gasped in horror, noticing that Hansel had trained his katana on her. _Oh no, he actually does mean to hurt her now!_

"Ruby, get out of there!" Pyrrha screamed.

Ruby almost did, but found herself exhausted due to not being used to splitting herself apart while using her Semblance. Hansel appeared in front of Ruby, and swung his katana straight into Ruby's stomach, driving the girl straight into the wall.

"Ruby!" The other members of Team RWBY screamed in worry for their leader.

Ruby slumped to the ground, unconscious. Hansel panted and gazed at his blade. His eyes briefly widened at the fact he lost his temper before sheathing his blade. He took a deep breath and spoke. "Class dismissed," he said, "do what you want before your next class, I don't care."

Everyone sat in stunned silence as Hansel began to exit the arena. Yang snapped and charged down to the arena. "Hey Professor Jackass!" She screamed.

Hansel ignored her and continued walking. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" Yang yelled. "I don't give a damn if you are our teacher, you don't do that to my baby sister!"

Weiss surprisingly joined in with Yang's criticisms. "You know, for someone who has a problem with abusive parents, I'm surprised you turned out to have no problems with being an abusive teacher! You're something else, you know that?"

Hansel glared at them both. "Just shut your damn mouths, both of you." He said, making them both freeze in place. Hansel turned and left the arena completely, destination unknown.

"Guys, forget him." Blake said, breaking Yang and Weiss out of their stunned stupor. "We need to get Ruby to the infirmary."

Blake looked at Ruby's unconscious form for a moment before gasping. _There's no indication of a slash wound._ She noted. _But we all saw him strike Ruby with his sword. Did he…no he didn't…would he?_

The question now was, did Professor Kobalt realize what he was doing at the last second and strike Ruby with the blunt end of his katana?

As Hansel walked through the halls of Beacon, he suddenly felt a vibration in his pocket and looked at his Scroll. The notification read: "Hansel, we need to talk. Come to my office as soon as possible."

 _Perfect timing_ , thought Hansel, _I was already heading that way myself_.

Upon exiting the Beacon Tower elevator doors, Hansel set foot in Ozpin's office.

"Please, have a seat," asked Ozpin.

As soon as Hansel did sit (on the guest chair that Ozpin was pointing at), a moment of silence took hold between the two.

Detecting that his fuming-on-the-inside apprentice was currently at a loss for words, Ozpin took the initiative and started the conversation. "I trust you already know why I summoned you here?"

"Are you mad?" replied Hansel.

"Disappointed."

"So am I."

At this point, Ozpin could already anticipate which arguments Hansel was going to put forth, but decided to let him finish talking. "Alright, what are you disappointed in?"

Clenching his fist in frustration, Hansel continued, "When you told me that you had found a silver-eyed guardian, I was under the impression that you had found a professional: someone who understood the world's situation and was ready to do their part. And what do I get instead? A greener-than-green brat who's too damn naive for her own good!"

Ozpin shook his head. "Even if Ruby Rose could be considered green compared to you, that still does not excuse putting one of our most promising students in the infirmary on your first day of teaching. I expected better from you, Hansel."

Hansel narrowed his eyes in response. "So that's what you wanted me to do? Hold back? The enemy isn't going to hold back either you know."

"Come now, Hansel, she may be a student, but she already knows that much."

Suddenly standing up from his chair, Hansel threw his hands up in the air and yelled, "I wish she knew more! I wish they _all_ knew more! How the hell have any of these amateurs survived this long? Do they not realize that their level of skill is not going to cut it anymore?"

Hansel would've ranted longer, if not for the disapproving look on Ozpin's face that he soon noticed. Though somewhat preoccupied with his own angry thoughts, he still had enough admiration for the headmaster to zip his mouth and then sheepishly return to the guest chair.

Ozpin then replied, "Why do you think I brought you back here to Beacon? What do you think is the greatest duty we have at the Academies as teachers?"

"To stay alive long enough to train kids into becoming capable survivors?" dryly inquired Hansel.

"To equip our pupils with _all_ the skills to meaningfully move forward in life, not just combat and survival abilities!" corrected Ozpin, "That is our most important duty!"

" _Our_ pupils? _Our_ duties?" Repeated Hansel in a mixture of anger and disbelief, "I was perfectly fine with my _previous duties_ , right until you dragged me into a job that was completely outside of my comfort zone!"

"And I'm truly sorry for pushing the transition on such short notice," apologized Ozpin, "teaching takes practice and time to perfect, and I did you a disservice by not providing you enough with either. Unfortunately, we are not in any position where we had the time for such."

This time, Hansel didn't reply with any outburst or retort. Despite their differences in opinions and values, Hansel could always count on Ozpin to take his feelings into consideration.

So for the moment, he just continued listening.

"Nonetheless, you made the same mistake in your handling of Ruby Rose. The same mistake that you're about to repeat with the rest of the students," continued Ozpin, who was now frowning, "You cannot plant a seed and expect it to grow into a tree in a single day, Hansel."

"And what about the mistakes made with them, huh? Do you really think the brat was the only one I had an issue with. None of them are capable of becoming Huntsmen. Team CRDL, good gods, don't get me started on the four of them. All muscle, no skill. The rabbit girl has no confidence and her idiot teammates enable that lack of confidence. Hammer Girl is at an 11 and needs to be at a 5 before she gets someone killed, and her boyfriend isn't exactly good at keeping her reigned in."

"They're actually not dating." Ozpin corrected. "Shocking, I know."

Hansel, however, was on a role. "The Arc kid is so far behind, it's not even funny. The redhead you picked to be the Fall Maiden? Sure, she's skilled, but she's scared of the power she chose to receive! That's inexcusable! Blondie? She wields her Semblance with no care whatsoever. The Cat Girl, and yes, I know she's a Faunus, who the hell does she think she's fooling with that bow? Anyway, she's constantly looking around as though she's looking for an escape from the fight should things go wrong! That ain't gonna fly forever! Hell, it shouldn't now! And the Schnee girl's been sheltered for so long, she has no real sense of danger and tension, and her ability to control her power suffers as a result!"

Hansel panted, done with his long rant. "Are you finished?" Ozpin asked.

Hansel nodded. Ozpin gave him a small smile. "First of all, I'm impressed you noticed every single one of those issues with your students. Now, as their teacher, you can work to fix them."

Hansel looked at Ozpin in shock. "You're right," Ozpin said, "those are all very noticeable flaws. But they're still just students. Not everyone can be a prodigy like you were, Hansel."

"That is why men like James and Qrow are doing all they can to make sure Salem's forces don't progress much while the next generation prepares to correct our mistakes." Ozpin told him.

Hansel, to his credit, was beginning to look ashamed from this long dressing-down. "Sir, I…"

"I know how you feel, but I watched the tapes, Hansel, and there is nothing that can excuse how brutal you were to Ms. Rose, both physically and verbally. No teacher should abuse their students. It breaks the bond of trust we're supposed to have with them. You are better than that. You know you were in the wrong."

Taking a deep breath, Hansel then admitted, "Sir, I...no, you're right. Please, Professor, you have to believe me when I say that I never wanted to take things that far. I just...lost my temper when I realized that she still had no idea what we are truly up against. Out of all the students I saw on the arena today, she's the worst of them all!"

Ozpin narrowed his eyes for a moment. "Do you honestly think that, or are you just frustrated with the fact that she's not a finished product?"

Taking another deep breath, Hansel continued, "I cannot teach her, Ozpin. She is not ready for those powers of hers or the responsibilities that come with them. She is too young! Too naive! Too unaware of the hells that are out there." At that moment, Ozpin realized that this was also a result of Hansel's insecurities as a teacher, along with his hatred of Ruby.

Ozpin smiled, as if reminiscing something pleasant. "Funny, I distinctly remember Ironwood and Qrow saying the same about you, back when you were ten and Glynda and I took you in. Once upon a time, you were no different Hansel."

Hansel clenched his fists briefly. "I was nothing like her." He denied.

Ozpin shook his head. "Actually, the two of you are quite alike, but because you both represent two different extremes."

Hansel looked at Ozpin in disbelief, still unable to comprehend any similarities between himself and Ruby. "You see Hansel, you're both young, but you both have experienced the world in a way that gives you both very different views of the world, but, your goals are quite similar."

"First, there's you, the boy who has already experienced Hell."

Hansel looked visibly uncomfortable at being reminded of his past, but decided to let Ozpin go on.

"And then there is Ruby, who is both your opposite and your reflection at the same time. She is innocent, and perhaps just a bit naive. However, that innocence is her greatest strength."

Hansel looked confused. "I'm ... not sure I understand."

"Ruby is a smaller, more honest soul, Hansel," continued Ozpin, "a simple soul. That innocence allows her to see the world as it should be, not as it is. This is where you two are quite similar. The both of you desire to change the world into something better. You constantly strive to help the world survive day to day, while she strives for a permanent solution, a happy ending for everyone. And that leads me to my next topic: the other reason why I wanted you instead of Qrow to be a teacher here."

"Because I'm not a sloppy alcoholic like he is?" dryly remarked Hansel.

"Clearly, your tactfulness still has room for improvement," rebutted Ozpin, who maintained his graceful demeanor, "But you're missing the point. You have seen Hell, in a way that not even Qrow could dream of. Your experiences help you in better preparing our students for the world they will experience. The way this helps Ruby adjust to her role as a guardian is that she will gain a better understanding of the world as it is, giving her greater resolve to change it into what it should be, a world free of the darkness that is the Grimm."

It was at this moment that Hansel began to grasp Ozpin's intentions a bit more clearly. "I… I see..."

"As you can see, Hansel, these students need you. However, whether you like it or not, you need them, especially Ruby. It is her simple soul that will lead us into the light."

And privately, Ozpin thought, " _Not only that, but she will also help you see the light as well. I don't wish to see your obsessions destroy you, Hansel. It is time for your burdens to be lightened, if only just a little at a time._ "

"I...think I understand, Sir." Hansel said in resignation.

"I know you do, my boy. So please, just try to better understand your students and what we're trying to do here in Beacon, alright?"

Hansel then surprised Ozpin by asking a question regarding Ruby. "The runt's mother…was she a Huntress too? One that you knew?"

Ozpin looked at Hansel. "Why do you ask?"

"She said her mother used to read her stories when she was little; stories about great heroes. The only kind of person I can think of that would fill their kid's head with stories and hope like that is someone who was not only a Huntress, but one who went to Beacon."

Ozpin sighed. Sometimes, he forgot that beneath his violent temper and hardheaded personality, Hansel was perceptive when he needed to be. "I did know her." He revealed. "Her name was Summer Rose, one of the finest Huntresses I ever taught at Beacon."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "What happened to her?" He asked.

Ozpin's face fell. "She's gone, Hansel." He said sadly. "She went out on a mission one day and just…never came back. Ruby was only a baby when it happened."

Hansel, to his credit, looked genuinely saddened upon hearing this. "So," he said, "she lost her mother too."

Ozpin nodded. "Just like you did, yes. All she has got are memories from Ms. Xiao Long, their father, Taiyang and Qrow. Qrow was the one who told her about all the stories Summer used to read her."

Ozpin looked like he was about to weep. "You know, Summer kept in contact with me after she gave birth to Ruby. She was so happy to have a child of her own. It broke my heart when she was lost to us, and that doesn't even begin to cover how the rest of the Xiao Long Family felt."

"Was it…a mission you sent her on, Sir?" Hansel inquired.

Ozpin laughed bitterly. "I guess you could say part of the reason I'm so invested in Ms. Rose, is because of the guilt I feel over what happened to her mother." He admitted.

"How has her mother's loss affected her?" Hansel inquired curiously, sounding surprisingly concerned. "You guys did do a mental checkup on her and the other students before allowing them to attend here, right?"

Ozpin nodded. "Ms. Rose is still clearly bothered by her losses in the past. I do suspect it was somewhat mitigated by the fact she did not have the same opportunity to get to know her as Ms. Xiao Long did."

"It should bother her." Hansel said as his expression softened into something Ozpin had not seen from him in a long time: sympathy. "It was her mother after all. As for me, I got lucky if you believe that's possible. Mom died giving birth to me, and Dad was always reluctant to talk about her. I've…got no attachments to her that bother me as a result."

Ozpin knew that was a lie. Hansel losing his mother still bothered him. He was just not good at expressing it. He then continued the subject of Ruby's mother. "I also think, that loss gives her a bit more insight into her motivations, her goals, her ideals."

"What do you mean?" Hansel asked.

"You got a full dose of her ideals during your…spar, Hansel." Ozpin reminded him. "Ruby has the innocent but admirable goal of becoming a hero who can save anyone. And I think it's mainly because of her mother."

"Her mother is a source of inspiration to her. I can imagine Taiyang and her sister filled her head with plenty of stories of how amazing her mother was, and all of the great things she did as a Huntress. Not only that, but I think her loss has motivated Ruby into becoming a hero who can save anyone and everyone, so that nobody else has to go through the pain she did."

Hansel was back to scowling. "You can't save everyone." He said simply. "That's a fool's dream. We both know that."

"But that won't stop her from trying." Ozpin pointed out to him. "And to some, Hansel, it is better to try and fail, than not try at all."

Hansel fell silent at this. "I know you disagree with her ideals, Hansel, and I understand why." Ozpin told him. "But even so, I think you owe Ruby an apology."

Hansel remained silent. "Because whether you want to admit it or not, the two of you are more alike than you realize. And I truly believe that by recognizing those similarities, and making an effort to better understand her, you can become the kind of teacher she needs in order to become what she wants to be. And that'll help her become the student you want her to be."

Hansel just nodded. "You've given me a lot to think about, Sir." He replied. "May I be excused?"

Ozpin smiled and nodded, knowing he had gotten Hansel thinking. "You are dismissed, my boy." He said.

Hansel nodded again and got to his feet. Before he left, however, Ozpin said one more thing that made him freeze in place. "You have a good heart Hansel. I'm sorry if this is a bit out of line, but I think you should try to show it to your students."

"I am not a kind person." Hansel denied.

Ozpin shook his head. "I know that deep down, you have a kind heart, just like Glynda does. After all, you did strike Ruby with the blunt end of your blade before you could hurt her."

Hansel was stunned by Ozpin's words before just shaking his head, exiting Ozpin's office. Just like that, Ozpin's face contorted into one of concern. _The poor boy,_ he thought grimly, _I wish there was more I could do for him._

 _Still, at least he got my message regarding his students._ Ozpin smiled. _One step at a time._

And so, Hansel was back, wandering the hallways of Beacon Academy. _A kind heart, huh? Who does he think he's kidding? Him constantly insisting that doesn't make it true._ Hansel thought bitterly. _If I was kind once upon a time…that time has long passed._

Hansel heaved a sigh. _Still, he's right…I need to apologize. I owe her that much, at least._

 **A.N: Ladies and gentleman, Hansel Kobalt. A character I literally wrote to be divisive just because of how complex he is, personality wise. Seriously, no matter how you slice it, outright abusing your students to try and get them to drop out is not cool. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I know a lot of it has seemed like a huge focus on Hansel, and he is a very major character in this series, but this is just so he is given ample time to place him in leagues with the rest of Team RWBY in terms of importance to the story. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Next time, the ending of the Intro Arc.  
**

 **And yes, I am well aware of Red vs. Blue. Why do you think I made the title the way it was? A shout-out to Rooster Teeth.**


	6. Chapter 6: Kindness

**Chapter 6: Kindness**

Hansel Kobalt quietly walked through the hallways of Beacon Academy, enjoying the silence, as all the other students were in different classes. _Silence,_ he thought to himself, _moments like these are when I'm truly at peace. Not a single voice ringing in my ears. No frightened whispers among those who recognize the Blue Demon. No death and despair. Only peace from silence._

 _I'm alone, I always have been, no matter how much people want to insist otherwise. Better to recognize that than try to live a lie. Peace of any kind never came from lying._

"Hansel!" Hansel froze, hearing a familiar voice call out to him.

Hansel looked over his shoulder to see Glynda Goodwitch gazing at him with a look of concern on his face. "What is it, Glynda?" He asked.

"What is with the rumor I'm hearing about you putting one of your students in the infirmary?" Glynda asked him. There was no judgement or anger in her voice. She just wanted to know if he was okay. "And there are other rumors that it's Ms. Rose."

Hansel sighed. "It's not a rumor at all," he admitted, "it's true."

Glynda gazed at him in shock. "It's okay though, Glynda." Hansel continued. "I'm…going to try to make things right."

"Hansel…are you alright?" Glynda asked in concern. She had never heard Hansel sound so…defeated before.

Hansel just chuckled humorlessly. "When have I ever been?" He asked grimly.

And with those single words, Hansel continued his path to the infirmary, leaving Glynda to watch him go, helpless and unable to offer anything in support.

Hansel heaved a sigh, knowing he had probably hurt Glynda's feelings with that statement.

"She's done so much for me, as has Professor Ozpin." Hansel noted to himself. "It's…not as if I'm feeling ungrateful for it all, but it just doesn't change a damn thing that in the end…" Hansel trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish that sentence.

"Still though," He changed the subject of this one-way conversation, "that doesn't mean I should shy away from apologizing to some girl for screwing up big time. I'm not a good person, but I'm also definitely not a bastard."

And with that declaration, Hansel fully resolved himself to properly apologize to Ruby Rose…

Meanwhile, inside of Beacon Academy's infirmary, Ruby Rose slowly stirred awake, whining and groaning in pain. When her eyes opened, she found herself surrounded by her relieved teammates. "Ruby!" Yang Xiao Long almost happily embraced her sister, only to be held back by a concerned Blake Belladonna.

"How are you feeling?" Weiss Schnee asked.

"Like I got hit by a truck…that was also on fire." Ruby tiredly replied before asking a question of her own. "Did I win?"

"No, you lost, Ruby." Blake said bluntly. "And, while that move you pulled out towards the end was pretty impressive…you still lost pretty badly."

"Move? Oh, you mean what I did with splitting myself up and all?" Ruby grinned weakly, remembering that part of the match.

Blake let a small smile curl at Ruby's statement. "Yeah, Ruby," she told her.

"So, after all that, I lost, huh?" Ruby lamented. "But you know, I pulled that off on the fly, you guys. I'm getting stronger. I think…next time, I can do even better."

Yang's eyes turned red. "Next time?!" She yelled. "Ruby, you cannot be serious! Are you telling me that after all of that, you just want to march right back down there and keep taking classes with that psycho?"

"Well…yeah," Ruby looked at Yang in confusion, "I know things didn't really turn out well today, but that's why we've just gotta go back in there and keep trying, right?"

"No, no, no, Ruby that is a terrible idea." Weiss told her. "You—and none of us, for that matter—should attend that class until that man is no longer our teacher."

Ruby seemed to regain her strength back upon hearing this. She sat up to properly converse with her teammates. "Huh? Guys, what's this all about?" She asked.

"What's this all about?" Yang repeated in disbelief. "Ruby, did he give you a concussion? You can't seriously think any of that was okay! What he did to you was straight-up abuse!"

Ruby nodded. "I know," she said, "it's not like I'm stupid, Yang."

"The fact that you still want to attend that damn class makes me question that." Yang admitted. "Ruby, listen to me, I know you're the leader, but we are not attending that class until that guy is fired and replaced with someone who isn't psychotic."

Ruby looked at Yang in shock, then at Weiss and Blake, as though trying to get them to confirm or deny that. They both nodded in confirmation. "We can't though." Ruby said, immediately balking at the idea. "Look at what's happening around us, guys! People are dying! The world is on the brink of some kind of war thanks to that Cinder woman! And you're actually saying we don't attend classes that are meant to make us stronger?"

"Yes, we are, because that is the safe thing to do." Weiss said. "Ruby, you cannot constantly put yourself in situations where someone is able to hurt you the way he did today."

 _I probably know that better than anyone._ Weiss added sadly.

"Weiss is right," Blake added, "Ruby, that behavior of his was frightening. It wasn't that of a teacher's. It was the way of…"

Blake trailed off, unable to say it. Yang narrowed her eyes, knowing what Blake was talking about, and nodded. "Blake's got a pretty accurate comparison, actually." She admitted. "Professor Jackass, was not acting like a professor, he was acting like a psycho abusive boyfriend."

Blake winced at how blunt Yang was being. However, she could not argue with that comparison. She came up with it, after all. Ruby frowned. Yang groaned. "What is with you?" She demanded. "Are you telling me you don't have a problem with all of this."

"I do," Ruby said, surprisingly calm even though she had a look of betrayal on her face, "I am concerned that a professor at academy this acted the way he did."

"Then why do you look like you disagree with us?" Weiss asked. "Everyone in our class thinks the same way, even Team CRDL does. _Team CRDL_ , Ruby! I was right, that man is not cut out to be a teacher!"

Yang snorted. "Well, maybe we shouldn't go that far. He did teach us one thing."

Everyone looked at Yang, who still had a furious look in her eyes. "Remember how he mentioned that people were the real monsters in Remnant, whether they were human or faunus? Yeah, I think I can agree with it after seeing how he acted today."

Ruby looked at Yang in shock, realizing what she was implying. Then, Yang outright said it. "That guy IS a monster."

Ruby's mouth dropped open in disbelief while Weiss and Blake both nodded in agreement. However, little did they know, they weren't the only people privy to this opinion Yang had about their professor.

Outside the infirmary, Hansel Kobalt lowered his head, managing to look surprisingly calm even though on the inside, he was feeling himself break. His hand slowly lowered itself from the doorknob. He had been moments away from entering to apologize to Ruby.

However, he managed to keep a straight face through it all. _Yeah,_ he agreed completely with Yang's assessment, _I'm a monster._

 _Why did I think this would go well?_ He wondered. _Why did I think I would be forgiven? This is why I'm better off alone._

 _This is my punishment._ Hansel realized. _This is my punishment for taking my wrath out on a girl who doesn't even know what the world really is outside of the academies. I never should've forgotten, no matter how much I hate the nickname, it doesn't change the fact that it's accurate._

 _I am the Blue Demon, and demons don't get to do human things like apologize…demons don't get to be happy._

 _Yeah…I'm a monster._

Then, before Hansel could turn and walk away from the infirmary, planning to resign from his post to make the students happy, a single voice stopped him; the voice of a smaller, more honest soul.

"Yang, take that back."

Yang's mouth dropped open, unable to believe what she had just heard. "Ruby, what do you mean take it back?" She asked.

"You know what I mean," Ruby said, sounding surprisingly angry now, "take back what you called him. Professor Kobalt…he is not a monster!"

Hansel's eyes widened. How long had it been since someone had said that about him?

 _"Glynda, am I a monster?"_ A ten year-old Hansel had asked Glynda Goodwitch.

Glynda had just smiled. _"Of course not, sweetie, you're a perfectly normal little boy, just like every other little boy out there."_

 _But you knew that was a lie when you told me that, Glynda._ Hansel thought sadly. _You knew everything about me…why I was at Beacon back then. You knew it was a lie because you also knew about me. But you also never saw me at my worst._

"Not a monster?" Yang shook her head. "No way, after everything he did?"

"Yes," Ruby glared at her sister, making Yang step back in surprise, "Cinder Fall is a monster! Adam Taurus is a monster! Professor Kobalt is not! I can't believe you all would even think that, let alone say it! We saw the worst that the world had to offer the night the Vytal Festival was attacked! We saw the monsters that Professor Kobalt warned us about! And he's not one of them!"

"And how is he any different from Cinder or Adam?" Yang demanded.

Hansel was admittedly interested in that as well. This girl, who had seen him at arguably his worst. This girl, who had suffered from him being at his worst. What was it about him that made her so convinced that he was not a monster? He had to know.

"I saw it," Ruby revealed, "at the very last moment…during our fight, when he was about to hit me with his katana. He realized what he was doing at the last moment, and turned it around so that he'd hit me with the blunt end, lessening my injuries."

Blake's eyes widened in disbelief. _He…he actually did…_ she realized.

 _No way, she saw that?_ Hansel was stunned. _I was moving so fast though…_

"And not only that, but just before he hit me, I got a look in his eyes." Ruby admitted. "And for the briefest moment…I saw sadness…and regret…like he knew that he was doing something wrong, but just couldn't stop himself. A monster wouldn't have those kinds of feelings."

Yang, Blake and Weiss fell silent at this. Ruby took a deep breath, realizing she had been on such a role, she had not been breathing. "Don't get the wrong idea," she said, "I'm not excusing the things he did. What he did was wrong, and I hate the fact it happened to me. But a monster? I just can't think of him like that!"

Hansel found himself shaking in disbelief as emotions he thought he had effectively repressed for so long were starting to rush back to him. "I know he's harsh, I know he's rude, I know he made a lot of mistakes today." Ruby admitted. "I know all of that, I'm not some naive kid."

Hansel's eyes widened at Ruby's next sentence. "But I know there's good in him!"

Hansel felt time slow down around him. _She thinks…I'm good. That girl…she experienced my worst and she still thinks that I'm good?_

Hansel found himself unable to comprehend those words. _You idiot…why would you think that? I'm a monster…I'm a demon…I'm not good…I'm not…_

"You…can't be serious." Weiss spoke up after a brief period of silence.

"I am," Ruby nodded, "who says we've got to be perfect, huh?"

She then turned her attention to Yang. "Yang, don't you remember all those stories you read to me where the hero messed up big time? That didn't make the hero any less good, right?"

"Ruby…" Yang tried to disprove the comparison, but could not.

"People don't have to be perfect…at least, I don't think they do." Ruby admitted. "What matters is what they are deep down, and I know that deep down, there's good in Professor Kobalt."

Hansel's face contorted into a look of grief and regret. He was visibly trying to stop himself from breaking down into tears at this point. "I don't know why he's so angry on the outside, I don't know why he seems so sad, too." Ruby admitted. "But…on the inside, I know he's good."

"And what are you going to do with this theory of yours?" Weiss inquired.

"I don't know," Ruby admitted sheepishly, "I haven't gotten that far yet, but I would like to know why he's so angry and sad. And if that means sticking with his class, then so be it."

"And then what?" Blake asked.

"Then maybe…I can try to help him." Ruby gave everyone a pure but determined smile.

Hansel could not take it anymore. He could not take it. Take it. Take it. Take it. TAKE IT! He just could not take another minute of that girl trying to reassure everyone that he was a good person, that she wanted to help him.

He just could no longer take the shame, the guilt. He had to leave this place…

As Hansel Kobalt fled the scene, seeking refugee in the only place he truly felt comfortable, the rest of Team RWBY looked at their leader in disbelief. Blake's ears meanwhile, twitched. _Hold on…was there someone here? Someone outside?_

"Ruby…you're serious about this?" Weiss asked, cutting Blake out of her thoughts

Ruby nodded, resolutely. Weiss thought it over. _He is a strange man…he went out of his way to make sure I remained at Beacon when he could've just went on his way. And there's the fact he saved Blake and Yang from that Adam Taurus. But still…_

"Ruby, I'm going to be honest, I still think you're being a bit too optimistic, but I won't stop you from trying." Weiss admitted.

"Same," Blake nodded, "you can make your own decisions, Ruby. And if you think that's the best call, then do your best. Just know that I also think you're being a bit too optimistic as well."

Ruby looked at Yang, who was visibly conflicted by Ruby's decision. She then heaved a sigh. "Is there no way I can talk you out of this?" She asked, almost pleading.

Ruby shook her head. Yang sighed. "You _are_ growing up." She mused. "Okay, little sis, I'll let you do things your way."

Ruby smiled. "Thanks, Yang." She said, grateful to her big sister for trusting her.

"Now rest up," Yang told her sister, "if you really plan to stick with this, you've got a big day tomorrow."

"We all do," Ruby reminded her sister, "you guys go and attend the rest of your classes and rest up, alright? Leader's orders."

Weiss nodded. "We'll bring you all the information you need." She promised as the three other members of Team RWBY exited the infirmary, leaving their leader to rest.

It was the evening when Ruby Rose was released from the infirmary. She had planned to go straight back to her dorm room, but was stopped by a message in her Scroll. It was from a number she did not recognize.

"Come to my office on the top floor, we need to talk—Professor Kobalt."

Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. Professor Kobalt wanted to speak with her? What could it possibly be about? Did he plan on criticizing her performance that day more? No, she could not think like that. She said there was good in him with all the conviction she could muster. There was no way she was going to back down from that statement.

So, Ruby made her way to the top floor in an elevator. The floor where the faculty offices were. For all of her hyperactive tendencies, Ruby had never once had to go to any of these offices. "Now, which one of these is Professor Kobalt's office?" Ruby wondered, gazing at the plaques.

The young Huntress briefly stopped when she saw a certain plaque, not because it was the right one, but because of the office's utterly baffling name: Fort Port.

"Geez, Professor Port…" Ruby muttered, shaking her head at the man's nature.

Then, at the end of the long hallways, she came across a single room with a plaque on it. "Professor Hansel Kobalt, this is his office." Ruby realized.

Without hesitation, Ruby knocked on his door. "It's unlocked." Came the familiar voice.

Ruby opened the door and walked inside to a surprise. The office she had entered did not look like an office. In fact, it looked like a dorm room.

There was no desk, just two chairs facing each other. There was a bed in the corner, right next to the one window. There was a closet, filled with what Ruby could only assume were clothes. And, sitting right in one of those chairs was Hansel Kobalt, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, please have a seat." Hansel told her, gesturing to the other open chair.

Ruby nodded and did as told. "This…isn't what I expected your office to look like." Ruby admitted.

"Oh? Yeah, I guess it doesn't really fit the mold." Hansel noted, gazing at the room, feeling all of the memories come back to him. "This was my old room, back when I lived at Beacon. Glynda seems to have left it exactly how I did."

"Lived?" Ruby looked at Hansel in surprise. "You mean, you went to Beacon?"

"That implies I was a student, kid." Hansel said to her. "No…I just lived at Beacon. I guess you could say I was Professor Ozpin, as well as Glynda's ward."

"Their ward? But…didn't you have a family?"

Hansel heaved a sigh. "It is like your friend, the Schnee girl, said, kid. My family is gone." He said. "The Kobalts were a family of powerful Huntsmen and brilliant scientists, those statements were true. And yet they couldn't conquer the hellish world we live in either."

"So I guess you're not really one for heroism, huh?" At that moment, Ruby began to realize why her beliefs so deeply upset Hansel.

Hansel shrugged. "I'm more of a realist." He admitted.

Ruby almost found herself apologizing for upsetting Hansel so much with her beliefs, but remembered that mistake did not excuse the way he acted, even if she now had a better understanding of him. Hansel then decided to get on track, asking a question that made Ruby's eyes widen. "So…you think there's good in me, huh?"

Ruby immediately realized what he was saying, and then realized what that meant. "Oh no, you heard all of that?" She asked.

Hansel nodded. "I am so sorry," Ruby said immediately, surprising Hansel, "I am so sorry my sister called you a monster."

Hansel was completely taken aback by Ruby's frantic apology, so much so that he could not respond, allowing her to continue. "Professor, listen, I promise, I don't think you're a monster. And I'm sure Yang and the others don't really think it either, they were just angry."

Hansel managed to regain his composure. "Calm down, kid." He said. "I don't care about that."

"I'm more focused on the fact that you think I'm good." Hansel said. "Most people wouldn't have that opinion of someone after that person put them in the infirmary. And yet here we are."

"Not only that, but you're the one apologizing to me." Hansel shook his head. "This isn't how I wanted things to go. You're not supposed to be the one apologizing."

Ruby looked at Hansel in surprise. Hansel ran his hands through his hair. "I'm not good at this." He admitted. "Look, I'm…"

As Ruby watched Hansel stress over this situation the two of them were in, she could not help but note how human he seemed, a far cry from the seemingly uncaring man in class.

Hansel took a deep breath, managing to get the words out. "I'm sorry, kid." He said. "I've got no right to make excuses about what happened, but I've been going through a lot of stress for the past few days over becoming a teacher, and I took all of my anger and frustrations out on you. I had no right to do that to you, and you certainly didn't deserve it."

"So…I'm sorry." Hansel said.

Ruby smiled. "Apology accepted, Professor."

"Just like that, huh?" Hansel raised an eyebrow.

"You apologized," Ruby told him, "and you meant it, I can tell. I don't really see a reason not to accept it."

"…I see." Hansel said.

The two sat in awkward silence for a brief moment before Hansel spoke up again. "You think I'm good though…why?" Hansel asked.

"Well, for starters, you went out of your way to apologize." Ruby pointed out with a smile. "That's gotta count for something, right?"

"People apologize for things all the time, kid." Hansel pointed out to her. "Don't you think that at some point the concept just loses its meaning?"

Ruby shrugged. "I don't know about that." She admitted. "But, I used to get picked on a lot as a kid. And my dad, he used to tell me that if someone was truly repentant, they couldn't possibly be that bad. It was his way of telling me to forgive them if they ever said sorry."

"But, if you were listening to that conversation, then you know that I know you hit me with the blunt end of your sword at the last second, and that you regretted what had happened, like you knew at that very moment what you were doing was wrong, but just couldn't stop yourself." Ruby pointed out. "A bad person wouldn't hesitate and feel that kind of shame."

Hansel fell silent at that statement before countering with a statement of his own. "A good person wouldn't have done what I did to you in the first place." He said. "With all due respect, I've heard it all before."

 _"You're a perfectly normal little boy."_

 _"You have a kind heart."_

 _"You're not a monster."_

Ruby just smiled. "You're not talking about a good person though, you're talking about a perfect person."

Hansel's eyes widened, remembering that part of Ruby's defense of him to her teammates. "Even good people make mistakes sometimes, and you definitely made one today." Ruby told him. "You messed up, but doing something everyone else does, doesn't make you a bad person."

Ruby smiled. "So yeah, even though you messed up, I still think you're a good person, Professor." She said resolutely.

 _In spite of my flaws, in spite of my mistakes, I'm still a good person?_ Hansel thought to himself.

After a few moments of silence, Hansel heaved a sigh, and without even realizing it, he let a small smile curl. "Well, shit," he said to himself, "how else am I supposed to respond to that, huh?"

Ruby could not help but let out a light gasp at the man's smile. It looked so sweet.

"Okay, kid, you win." Hansel told her. "I'll accept your reasoning."

Ruby nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Professor." She said. "I'm glad we had this chat."

"And you know what else," Ruby told him with determination, "even if today turned out bad, I got stronger. I evolved my Semblance when I needed to, and I got stronger. And I'm going to keep getting stronger."

Hansel looked at Ruby in surprise. "You watch, Professor," Ruby said to him, "I'm going to be the best student you ever saw. And then, I'm going to become the best Huntress."

Hansel shook his head in disbelief. _That optimism of yours knows no bounds, Kid._ He mused inwardly. _Optimism aside…it looks like I owe this girl a shot at least._

"Honestly, you shouldn't be the one making promises to me." Hansel told her. "I'm the one who screwed up today, remember?"

 _And if I'm going to give her a shot, then I need to be better…_

"So let me just say," Hansel's perpetually stern gaze transformed into a much softer one, "I'm going to do better at my new job. I'm going to become a professor you can look up to."

Ruby nodded. "I think you'll be great." She said without hesitation. "Now, if there's anything else you'd like to say, I should get back to my dorm. I think my teammates are getting worried about me."

Hansel nodded. "Dismissed, kid." He told her.

Ruby smiled, got up and began to walk away, only to be stopped by Hansel, who had a few more words. "And by the way," he said, "you're right. That move you pulled at the end of our match? It was pretty impressive."

Ruby smiled and nodded, grateful for Hansel's compliment. With that, Ruby left his office to return to her dorm. Hansel shook his head, still in utter disbelief at the behavior of that girl.

"The only question now is, how am I going to properly apologize to everyone else?" He wondered. "It's not like I can go back in time and stop myself from treating them so badly."

An idea then came to Hansel. "But _I_ can get mistreated now." He noted before sending a message to a certain someone over his scroll.

"Now, how do I motivate them to push themselves after we get this apology out of the way?" Hansel wondered.

Hansel heaved a sigh. "Damn," he cursed, "this is actually the hard part. I never was an actual Beacon student; I don't know how to connect with these kids."

Hansel continued to think. "Wait…students." An idea suddenly came to him. "Professor Ozpin would talk about his students all the time when I was training under him…and he always talked about one student in particular…"

Hansel smirked as he began formulating his new lesson plan. "Yes, yes, this will work perfectly." He said, surprisingly excited as he began jotting down notes on his scroll.

As Hansel wrote down his lesson plan, he immediately found himself thinking about Ruby once more. Ozpin's words regarding her then came to his mind. "A smaller, more honest soul," he remembered, "a simple soul. One that will lead the world into the light."

"Kid, I still can't say I'm convinced any of that is possible." Hansel admitted to himself. "But still, I have to admit, you really caught me off guard there. I didn't think someone could be that kind…"

And then it occurred to Hansel that there was another person he needed to apologize to.

Browsing through his own call history, Hansel clicked on a familiar number on his Scroll.

"Hey, Glynda, you've got time to talk?" asked Hansel.

"Of course, Hansel," warmly replied Glynda Goodwitch, "I'm always happy to make time for you. We should make it quick though; we both have classes to teach early in the morning."

Hansel took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say thanks."

There was a pause on the other end. Hansel could tell he had stunned Glynda into silence. "For what, exactly?"

"For everything." Hansel continued. "Both you and Professor Ozpin have been good and gracious towards me. The things you've done have meant a lot to me, and I'm sorry for not saying that enough. And I'm sorry for worrying you all the time."

One the other end. Glynda was a little caught off guard by Hansel's uncharacteristic openness, and then smiled in response.

But before she could voice her reply, Hansel continued, "And remember what I said about making things right? I'm doing that, I've managed to make peace with Ruby and have gotten to know her a little better; but as for the rest of the students, I've got something special planned for them."

"Special as in?" inquired Glynda.

"As in being good and gracious to the students in my own special way," clarified Hansel, "Plus, I'd like to test how much I've learned from your example."

"Hansel," Glynda said to him, "let me give you a piece of advice before I hang up. Something I didn't get a chance to do before."

Hansel fell silent. "Don't think you need to completely copy my example." Glynda told him. "You are your own man and teacher, and you need to find a system that works for you, but also balance that with an ability to command the respect of your students and understand each of them and their feelings."

"Peter and Bartholomew both have vastly different methods, and yet they are successful for that reason. To balance ones beliefs and methods with a respect and understanding of your students. That is what it means to be a teacher."

"Balance, huh?" Hansel thought that over.

"Just keep that in mind, Hansel." Glynda told him. "Now go to sleep."

Hansel frowned. "Well, um, you know, I kinda wanted to unwind with some gaming." He admitted.

"I don't think so, young man." Glynda scolded. "You can play your video games over the weekend when you're not grading."

Hansel sighed. "Yes, Ma'am." He said obediently.

Glynda laughed. "Goodnight, Hansel." She said kindly.

Hansel let a small smile curl. "Goodnight, Glynda."

Hansel then sent one last message on his Scroll. When he got the response, he nodded curtly before preparing for bed. Tomorrow, his apology would begin.

The next day, the class that saw the worst of Hansel Kobalt walked to their next class with their new Combat Professor as though they were all walking towards an execution, everyone except Ruby Rose, who was noticeably chipper.

Her teammates were confused by her mood, and also how secretive she was after returning from what they learned to be a meeting with Hansel.

When everyone entered the classroom/arena, they were surprised to see Hansel was not alone. Professor Ozpin was also with him. "Did you get canned already?" Coco Adel taunted, wondering if that was the reason for Ozpin's presence.

Hansel instinctively rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I deserve that." He muttered.

Hansel then took a deep breath. "Look, I get that a lot of you don't really wanna be here right now, and I also get that it's my fault that's the case." Hansel told his students.

The class remained silent, wondering what he was getting at and wondering if Hansel was being forced to apologize. "And I also know that just saying sorry ain't gonna cut it with you lot." Hansel continued. "And that is why I brought Professor Ozpin here to help me prove a point."

Ozpin nodded and silently began swinging his cane around to prepare. Hansel narrowed his eyes at the older man and drew Wolf Fang, much to the surprise of everyone present. "Whoa, is he going to go up against Professor Ozpin?" Velvet Scarlatina said in disbelief.

 _What is he trying to prove?_ Pyrrha Nikos wondered, remembering Ozpin's fight with Cinder Fall. _He can't win against Professor Ozpin._

Ozpin could not help but smile. "It's been awhile since our last spar." He noted. "As I recall, you still haven't landed a single blow on me."

Hansel frowned. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," he muttered, "to be fair, we've been sparring since I was ten. What ten-year-old is capable of landing a hit on you?"

"Well, what student would be capable of doing the same to you?" Ozpin inquired.

"Touché, and to answer your question, none, except for one, apparently." Hansel admitted.

Ruby smiled. _Darn right!_ She thought proudly.

"Just remember, Hansel," Ozpin said, "don't blink."

Hansel's eyes widened slightly. "Oh shit." He muttered, knowing what was coming.

 _1 second…_

Ozpin suddenly vanished from sight, leaving behind a shining green silhouette of himself. "Whoa!" Yang yelled in shock.

Ruby watched in utter disbelief. _Professor Ozpin's even faster than me!_ She realized.

Hansel frantically tried to block Ozpin's first strike, however, his Wolf Fang was suddenly hooked by Ozpin's cane and wrenched from his grip.

 _2 seconds…_

Suddenly Hansel had ten blows landed on him in the span of a second, sending him flying backwards.

 _3 seconds…_

Ozpin appeared behind the flying Hansel and swung his cane into Hansel's back without even looking, knocking the young man flat on his face. "…Ow…" Hansel could only mutter in pain, unable to move.

Meanwhile, Hansel's students looked at the scene in front of them in disbelief. In the span of 3 seconds, Hansel Kobalt had been utterly decimated by their headmaster. 3 seconds! Ozpin then walked right over to Hansel and smiled down at him. "Are you okay, my boy?" He inquired.

"I almost hit you." Hansel claimed, groaning.

"No, you didn't." Ozpin was quick to deny.

Yang was doing her best impression of a fish before regaining her composure. "So…is it just me or was that cathartic as hell?"

"Professor Kobalt!" Ruby yelled in worry, running down to the arena.

Ozpin looked in surprise to see Ruby running towards them. "Professor, should we get him to the infirmary?" Ruby asked, worriedly.

Ozpin could not help but smile at Ruby's concern for his apprentice. _It appears they really did patch things up._ He mused.

"Don't worry, Ms. Rose," he said, "Hansel has sparred with me so many times over the years, he's gotten used to it, he'll be back up before you know it."

Hansel then groaned, getting to his feet. "Yeah, but I'm going to be sore for the rest of the day." He complained. "Exactly, what I was hoping for."

Hansel then regained his composure and turned his attention to his students. "Okay, you're probably asking yourselves now, why did I do that?"

"I'm not." Yang admitted. "I just really liked watching you get your ass kicked."

"…Yesterday, I would've done the same to even it out, but today, I'm trying to make a point here." Hansel said, surprisingly calm.

Ozpin nodded. "I've got a meeting with Vale's council. You can take it from here."

With that, Ozpin took his leave as Hansel began his speech. "I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I got my ass kicked. Me, a full-fledged Huntsmen, got his ass-kicked by someone clearly better. Why?"

"It helps that Professor Ozpin is arguably one of the greatest Huntsmen of all time." Weiss noted.

"It goes a bit further than that," Hansel pointed out, "the fact of the matter is, there's always going to be someone better than you."

"Even after I completed all my training at Beacon, I'm still technically studying. I'm still getting stronger." Hansel pointed out. "And that's not just reserved for me. You're all going to continue improving as well, as long as you keep to your training."

Everyone was still somewhat taken aback by Hansel's method of apologizing, but they were listening intently. "I get that you're all hesitant to accept me as your teacher, and if you still don't want me after today, I'll resign. However, at least let me leave you with this. You will only get stronger if you put in the effort to improve. I continue to improve because I continue to train."

That made sense to the students, at least. "My point is," Hansel said, "that even though my fight with Rose endedone way yesterday, one day it could very well end differently as long as she keeps training. If you don't want to be at the mercy of someone who's existence you can't stand, you need to get stronger."

Ruby did not want Hansel to leave, she had faith he could end up a great teacher, especially with a lesson like this. She looked around to see that his words were at least resonating with some of her classmates.

Hansel then gestured for everyone to follow him. "Now, come with me," he said, "there's another point I'd like to make."

Ruby followed Hansel without hesitation. One by one, the rest of her classmates did the same. When Hansel took them outside of the building, they were admittedly confused, wondering what he was planning. Then, when he took them to the outskirts of the Emerald Forest, some of the more cynical ones of the bunch actually thought he was going to take them out and kill them and dump their corpses in the forest, like a snuff film.

Then, Hansel revealed a large statue of a beautiful woman but warrior-like woman with a bastard sword pointed towards the ground. The sixteen students all gaped at the fact that a mere statue radiated so much power. "Who is she?" Ruby wondered out loud.

"This, everyone, is Ashley Hollow. Tell me at least one of you knows who this woman is?"

Everyone remained silent. Hansel sighed. "I suppose doing your homework on students who have long past through this academy would be too much to ask." He noted. "Okay, kiddos, time for a quick history lesson."

Hansel pointed to the statue. "Ashley Hollow was a student here at Beacon, much like you all are." He explained. "However, she wasn't just a mere student. She was _the greatest_ student to ever come through these walls. Professor Ozpin himself has revered her as Beacon's greatest student."

Ruby gazed at the statue of Ashley Hollow with amazement and reverence. A student like that had achieved such recognition from the man who was arguably the world's strongest Huntsman. What kind of mighty warrior was this woman?

Hansel then sighed. "And she died," he revealed grimly, "died at the hands of one of the most dangerous individuals that walks our kingdom. Not the Grimm, a person, like all of you."

Everyone gasped at this. Someone was strong enough to kill Beacon's greatest student. Just what kind of monster was this person?

"Professor Ozpin had this memorial of her created as a recognition of all she gave in service to humanity, and her accomplishments at Beacon." Hansel explained before turning to his class. "Let that sink in, the greatest student in Beacon's history could not defeat the horrors this world has to offer."

Everyone's eyes widened. What exactly was he trying to tell them with this depressing, grim tale? "And yet you all are here because for whatever reason, you want to succeed where she failed." Hansel pointed out. "Do you know what that means? That means that you all need to surpass Beacon's greatest student."

Hansel gazed at them all, completely serious. "If you want to achieve your goals, you need to push yourselves even further than you did before."

"Let me explain something to all of you, people want one thing from their Huntsmen: results." Hansel told them. "And in order to achieve those results, you need to be strong. Whatever your ideals are, you need that strength to realize them as well."

"No matter how you slice it," Hansel continued, "you need strength in order to achieve your goals. In order to achieve anything. It's not fair, but that's just how it is."

"If you want to be Huntsmen, you need to become stronger. You can't afford to rely on things like luck anymore. " Hansel told them. "And you certainly need to become stronger if there's a goal you hold deep to your heart, one that you want to complete."

Hansel paused to let those words sink in. He was satisfied to see that his words were at least resonating with his students. "And that's where I come in." Hansel said. "As your teacher, it is my responsibility to do my best to help you all reach your potential, and I'm sorry I could not realize that. I'm sorry that I left you all with such a bad impression of me."

"But know this," Hansel said, "I don't believe we can really make a difference in this world beyond helping people live to another day. But, that doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is making sure enough of you get strong enough to at least achieve that much."

"And for that reason, I'm going to do my best as a teacher to help you all achieve, but you all need to help me as well. I need you all to help me by promising you'll give it your best."

Everyone gasped at how sincere Hansel sounded. "I'm still not going to sugarcoat any of this. It's going to be very hard." Hansel said. "I'm going to push you all, hard, in order to help you achieve."

"However," Hansel added gently, "I'm also going to do my best to try and understand each and every one of you better, so that I may better help you achieve that potential you all have, and so that we don't have a repeat of that disastrous first day. Just you wait, I'm going to become the best damn professor you guys have ever had, come hell or high water."

"So I ask you, will you allow me to continue teaching you?" Hansel inquired of them, completely serious.

Everyone fell silent for a moment. Ruby almost said something to try and encourage everyone to give Hansel another chance, but she found the words unable to come out of her mouth. Then, Yang heaved a sigh. "Sheesh," she said, "you know, you could've at least had this revelation yesterday. It would've saved us a lot of trouble."

Weiss nodded. "If you really are serious about trying to do better, than I suppose we as students owe it to you to give it our best as well." Weiss told him. "And, I can't just let someone walk away when they're trying that hard to apologize and make things better."

Blake looked at Hansel in amazement. _Now I see the difference between him and Adam. Adam…he's incapable of regret. A man who feels completely justified in what he does. But Professor Kobalt…he may be harsh…and rude…but in a strange way, he has his own sense of right and wrong, making him capable of admitting when he's failed._

Blake's eyes widened in realization. _My gods, Ruby was right, he's not a bad person…he's not a monster._

Ruby finally found the words. She smiled at her teacher. "I think I speak for the rest of us when I say we hear you, Professor. We'll do everything we can to be the best students you can ask for, as long as you do your best to become a great teacher. I definitely want to see you become our favorite professor."

Ruby gave Hansel a thumbs up. "Let's all get better together, Sir."

One by one, everyone, even Team CRDL, nodded, sincerely touched by Hansel's repentance and vow to do better. Hansel was surprised at everyone's decision for a moment, before he heaved a satisfied sigh. "Well," he said, "now that's what I'm talking about."

"Okay," Hansel gave everyone a grin, "since we're all in agreement, let's get started!"

Meanwhile, on the elevator ride back to his office, Ozpin briefly sighed in a moment of private frustration. Vale was saved (for the time being), but the headmaster still wasn't sure if the same could be said for his career. The "serious discussion" that he was warned about had finally arrived.

Sinking down into his chair and turning on his monitor, he inquired, "Is everyone present?"

Five Vale emblems were present on the monitor, with each emblem representing a council member in attendance. "All council members are present, Professor Ozpin." said the middle emblem (which Ozpin recognized as belonging to the council head), "We're certainly curious to hear your side of the story."

"Good," nodded Ozpin, "then let us proceed."

 **A.N: And thus, the Introduction Arc comes to an end. Next, the first major arc in the stories. But how about that beautiful moment of reconciliation between Red and Blue. But holy shit, that was a heavily emotional chapter. This is why I love writing for Hansel, this guy has so many layers to him, he's like an effing onion (ba dum tiss). See you next time, everyone.**


	7. Chapter 7: New Direction

**Chapter 7: New Direction**

It has now been a week since Beacon returned to classes. Despite the disastrous first day of new faculty member, Hansel Kobalt, classes were now running smoothly everywhere. Ozpin could not help but breath a sigh of relief at this fact. With everything that had happened, it was important that the students had a sense of normalcy nowadays. There was no doubt in Ozpin's mind that the world was on the brink of war now, which meant that very soon, his students may have to grow up quickly.

It was why he was glad Hansel, in spite of his youth, was their teacher. It was just as he had said a week ago: Hansel was the man who experienced hell, one of the only three people in the world (besides himself) whom he could honestly say understood just how dark and terrifying Remnant truly was.

Thinking about Hansel and the past week brought Ozpin back to the council meeting he had with the others awhile back…

 _"I must say," Ozpin began with a calm smile, "I am very glad that we were all able to return to our usual pace of normalcy and calmness."_

 _"I suppose you have every right to be calm, Ozpin." The head councilor told him. "After all, these past events have been a great victory for you."_

 _Ozpin had immediately narrowed his eyes at that statement. "Come now, Councilor, you cannot in good conscience call it a_ _ **great**_ _victory. A lot of good people lost their lives. We drove our foes back, but we never should have reached such a point in the first place. Our enemies should've never been able to knock on our door in the first place."_

 _The council all fell silent at that statement. "…Yes, well, even so, you must read the news, Ozpin." One councilor said to him. "Support for Beacon Academy has skyrocketed since the events of the Vytal Festival. Your students are considered heroes for their conduct…in spite of the incidents leading up to the invasion."_

 _Ozpin fell silent at this. Was this going to be the "serious discussion" about his future as a headmaster they had threatened before the festival? "Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Atlas, and General Ironwood." The Head Councilor continued. "Those Atlesian Mechs have caused a PR nightmare for him."_

 _"Because those mechs were attacking innocent people." Ozpin reminded the councilor._

 _"The point is," a gruff councilor chimed in, tired of dancing around the topic, "to avoid that same PR nightmare, you need to remain in the position you are in, guiding these students to become even greater than before. If we fired you now, the council would face a PR crisis in the form of the masses questioning why we removed Beacon Academy's 'leader' from his position. Especially since we were so eager to hand over security of the Vytal Festival to Ironwood."_

 _ **Ah, so that's what this is about.**_ _Even Ozpin could not help but want to roll his eyes at this._ _ **It's no wonder Hansel tells me he hates politicians so much. It's always to protect themselves.**_

 _ **Once again, they've failed to note the bigger picture. Then again, I am no better. If I were, we'd have never been in this mess in the first place. We're all at fault for what has happened, that is a reality we must accept if we're to ever move into a brighter future. Otherwise, we'll simply be stagnant.**_

 _"Apologies if you were concerned for your future, Ozpin." The lone female on the council said. "You need to understand that we were acting in what we thought were Vale's best interest at the time. If we had known how much General Ironwood was hiding, and the risks of the kind of army he was bringing, we would never have done such a thing."_

 _ **A lie,**_ _Ozpin sighed inwardly,_ _ **even if you had known, you would've just taken extra precautions. But this enemy we face…they've always known how to hit where it hurts most.**_

 _"With all due respect, Madam Councilwoman, James may have made plenty of mistakes, but his ability as a leader should not be questioned. Our enemy simply outsmarted us this time."_

 _"Outsmarted the general." The youngest sounding councilman was quick to correct._

 _"No sane person should trust General Ironwood after such a mistake." The gruff councilman said, sounding angry. "The man is clearly unreliable."_

 _"James is a lot of things, but not unreliable." Ozpin was quick to defend Ironwood. "He saw a situation that needed to be remedied, and he worked to fix it in his own way. Granted, that way failed, but that doesn't make him unreliable, it just means he made a mistake."_

 _"I still believe in James," Ozpin continued, "he went behind everyone's back, but I know that his heart is in the right place. I still believe that he is a man of strong integrity, and great loyalty."_

 _"The question is, to whom." The councilman who had spoken first pointed out. "Ozpin, not that we all don't appreciate your loyalty to your fellow headmaster, but you really shouldn't go to the sword defending his honor. That man is one of the most hated people in Vale right now. I can't turn on any kind of talk show without people insulting him."_

 _"It is not James we should be focusing our hatred on." Ozpin claimed. "What of our enemies? Cinder Fall, her cohorts, and Adam Taurus; has there been any word on their whereabouts?"_

 _"We'll find them soon enough, we've got roadblocks and wanted posters at every corner of Vale." The young councilman arrogantly declared._

 _"No," The Head Councilman rebuked immediately, "it is true, the woman known as Cinder Fall, along with her associates: Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai and Neo Politan, have not been found. But we have no reason to be so confident. We don't even know if they're in Vale, or have fled the country."_

 _"Perhaps to Mistral?" The councilwoman suggested. "They did come as students from Haven."_

 _"Has Leonardo contacted anyone on the matter yet?" Ozpin inquired. "I've been trying to reach him myself. What about the Mistral Council?"_

 _"They've all gone silent as well." The first councilman replied, sounding tired at the thought of it. "I'd wager they've been shamed by the revelations that people who infiltrated their school were the cause of it."_

 _"They're probably dealing with backlash as well." The younger councilman suggested._

 _"Even so, that's no reason for them to not communicate with us." The councilwoman countered._

 _ **They probably are dealing with a lot of backlash. Damn, and they probably just forged their records too, it's not like it was Leo's fault.**_ _Ozpin shook his head._

 _"And Adam Taurus and the White Fang?" He spoke up again._

 _"We've attempted to take him into custody, but all attempts have been met with lethal resistance." The head councilman responded. "The White Fang has claimed Taurus's group to be a rogue faction."_

 _Ozpin nodded, remembering reading about that a week ago. "And do we believe that?" He inquired. He believed it, but he needed to know if they did._

 _"It's not a question of whether we believe it, Ozpin." The gruff councilman responded. "It's a question of whether we can find a truth we can prove."_

 _"Speaking of Adam Taurus," the councilwoman spoke up, "I believe it is time we discuss a matter we've been curious of ever since the news of this came out."_

 _The council paused for a moment, considering their female coworkers words. Then, the head councilman spoke up. "Professor Ozpin, how did you manage to receive the aid of the Blue Demon, one Hansel Kobalt? Not only that, but now he's your new Combat Professor."_

 _"…He's actually not too fond of that title." Ozpin pointed out._

 _"Do not change the subject, Ozpin," the head councilman told him, "the Blue Demon is famous for being a bit of an enigma. That kid just came out of nowhere last year and just started hunting down the criminal underworld in the other three kingdoms."_

 _"And then he shows up at the Vytal Festival, out of nowhere, and the next thing we know, we're hearing stories that he not only fought against Cinder Fall, the woman who perpetrated the entire incident, but there's also a rumor going around that he took the arm of Adam Taurus."_

 _"I' m not sure what you're getting at, sir." Ozpin decided to play dumb._

 _"It's simply too much of a coincidence, Ozpin, you know that." The head councilman told him. "And our suspicions were not helped when we looked into Beacon's student records, and discovered that Hansel Kobalt is in none of them. We even gained access to records in Shade, Atlas and Haven and found nothing."_

 _"Considering his age," the councilwoman spoke up, "he shouldn't even be a full-fledged Huntsmen, he should still be in an academy."_

 _ **Of course they spend more time focusing on this. They are damn suspicious of him.**_ _Ozpin once again frowned._ _ **Honestly, I can't help but wonder the headway we'd make if they put this kind of scrutiny into far more important things then snooping into Hansel's life.**_

 _"Does this really matter?" Ozpin inquired._

 _"We're just concerned about his vague background." The first councilman assured Ozpin. "Especially with his family name to be considered."_

 _"Come now, Councilman just because of the controversies surrounding the Kobalt Family name, doesn't mean you have reason to be suspicious of him." Ozpin defended his apprentice._

 _"We are just being cautious, Ozpin, and considering our theory, rightfully so."_

 _"Oh, and what is this theory?" Ozpin inquired._

 _"That Hansel Kobalt was an unofficial student of Beacon at some point." The first councilman said. "Why else would a man who spends most of his time in the other three kingdoms come all the way back to Vale? It would have to be because you formed the kind of relationship with him that you have with Qrow Branwen."_

 _Ozpin sighed. Well, time for full transparency…_

 _"Very well," Ozpin said, "Hansel Kobalt is indeed an unofficial student of Beacon, so to speak. Although, I'm sure he would prefer to be referred to as my apprentice."_

 _The council remained silent, allowing Ozpin to continued. "Eight years ago, young Hansel Kobalt was left at Beacon Academy. So, I took it upon myself to train him. During those eight years, the boy showed amazing talent and progress. He was a true prodigy. And after he completed his training at age seventeen, he struck out on his own on a personal quest that was of great importance to him. However, when I contacted him and informed him that I needed him at Beacon, Hansel did not hesitate to return."_

 _"Why were we not informed of this, Ozpin?" The head councilman demanded._

 _"With all due respect," Ozpin responded, "none of you ever asked."_

 _"Anyway, while Hansel is young and has the unfortunate luck of carrying his family's name, I can assure you, his loyalty is unquestionable. While it bothers me somewhat, I know for a fact that Hansel would rather die than betray me, and by extension, Beacon Academy." Ozpin claimed with full confidence. "I believe his record and abilities speak for themselves."_

 _The council fell silent once more. The head councilman then spoke up once again. "The only reason you will not be reprimanded for hiding this from us, is due to your current support from the masses." He said. "But we expect full transparency in the future, Ozpin."_

 _Ozpin nodded. "I understand."_

 _"This meeting is adjourned." The head councilman concluded as the screen vanished, cutting the connection._

 _Ozpin could only rub his temples in exhaustion. "And now I know why Hansel hates politicians so much." He muttered. "No, no I shouldn't think like that. They're flawed people, but they mean well. It's just that playing politics has made them disconnected from the truth."_

Ozpin groaned, still exhausted from all the politics last week. "We're on the brink of war, and their biggest concern is image." He lamented.

"Still, at least I can remain in this position for a little while longer." He could not help but bask in that victory a bit more. "As of right now, Headmaster of Beacon Academy is where I can help out the most."

Ozpin found himself reaching into his desk and taking out a chess board. He calmly set up a few pieces. A white knight faced down a black knight while a black king was protected by a bishop, a queen, a rook, another knight and two pawns. Ozpin then calmly knocked away the black knight, putting his white knight on a direct path with the black king. "And that puts you in check," Ozpin said as he gazed at two white pawns he had placed at the other end of the board, symbolizing their promotion, "your move…Salem."

Meanwhile, Hansel Kobalt began another day as Professor of Combat Studies. He opened up his scroll in front of his students, much to their confusion. "Okay," Hansel said, "no pleasantries today, let's just get right into this before I forget."

The class sighed in exasperation. Even though Hansel had made good on his promise to try and be better as a professor, he was still wound a bit too tight, and extremely unorthodox in how he behaved. Take Weiss Schnee's thoughts for example. Weiss always thought teachers needed to be dignified and formal. Hansel was neither of those things. Hansel still acted like a moody, irritable teenager and was definitely very informal with just about everyone he met.

But, at least he was not beating up his students anymore. Still, he was as blunt as he promised he would be. Definitely no sugarcoating on his end. If someone screwed up in anything, he really let them have it; he made the entirety of Team CRDL cry after they got stomped by Team JNPR in a sparring match with a simple statement: "If this had been a real match, after a display like that, you idiots would be dead, try to keep that in mind."

But yeah, at least he was not beating up his students anymore, and even when his words were harsh, he always made it a point to offer advice on how to improve afterwards.

Enough about Hansel's actions as professor since that first day, however, it was a new day, and it was time to see just what Hansel intended to do for them today. "So, after a week of classes with all of you," Hansel began, "I think I have a pretty good gauge of each of your skillsets. This'll help me decide where you all need to be pushed the hardest."

Hansel read through the notes on his scroll. "First thing's first, I want to say that I think we now have something we need to focus on for the entirety of this year's class." Hansel told them. "Something that I want each of you to leave this class with."

"What is that, Professor?" Lie Ren inquired curiously.

"Semblance training," Hansel replied, "this semester, we're going to focus on your Semblances."

"Semblance training?" Cardin Winchester frowned. "Why Semblances? Shouldn't we be focusing on building up strength?"

Hansel shook his head. "Winchester, you ignorant twit." Hansel muttered. "Strength isn't just muscle. It's shit like that, that's the reason why you and your teammates are starting to fall behind your classmates."

Cardin whimpered at being dressed down by Hansel once more. Jaune Arc gave him a sympathetic look. It was harsh, but it was definitely preferable to last week, which was straight-up verbal abuse. This was—oddly enough—different. It was harsh, but it was something people needed to hear on occasion.

"So, who can tell me why I want to focus on Semblance training this semester?" Hansel inquired.

Everyone remained silent at this. Hansel sighed. "Come on, someone's gotta have an idea why." He said. "What about the people among you who have actually developed their Semblances. Surely you can tell me why it's a good idea to focus on Semblance training?"

"I'm…afraid we can't say, Professor." Blake Belladonna admitted.

"Sheesh," Hansel rolled his eyes, "okay, let me try to give you an idea of why with a question."

"Nikos," Hansel addressed Pyrrha, "you're some sort of big-shot champion, right?"

"Umm…well…" Pyrrha trailed off, unable to answer that question.

Hansel did not wait for her to answer. "So let me ask you this, in a fight, what are you more concerned about: the weapon you know and can see, or the weapon you don't know and cannot see?"

 _Rude._ Nora Valkyrie thought to herself, put off by his tendency to interrupt people if they did not answer him quick enough.

Pyrrha looked at Hansel in confusion. "Well, obviously the latter, sir." She said. "Any sane warrior would be more concerned about a weapon we have no knowledge of and cannot see."

"Exactly," Hansel said, "so let me ask you another question: is it not true that Semblances are considered unknowns in a fight, because they are unique to each Huntsman?"

"Umm…yes, I suppose so." Pyrrha said.

"Now take a moment and consider the other side of that previous scenario. Would you say having a weapon that's unknown to your enemy gives you more of an advantage than the weapon you brandish openly to your foe?" Hansel asked.

"The weapon that's unknown, of course." Pyrrha said, as she slowly began to realize just what Hansel was trying to say.

"And if Semblances are an unknown, and having a weapon that is unknown to your enemy gives you an advantage in a fight, wouldn't it make sense to develop that weapon into something powerful, something that you can rely on to win?"

"Ooh, yes, yes, yes!" Ruby Rose shouted excitedly, cutting into the conversation.

Hansel heaved a sigh, still put off by Ruby's tremendous energy. He then got back on track. "Do you understand why I want to focus on Semblances now, everyone?" He asked.

Thankfully, yes, everyone did understand. One thing they also began to pick up on, was that they needed to be able to keep up with Hansel's thinking, not because it was hard, but because he would become a bit irritated if it seemed like people were not getting his logic, which he found to be quite simple.

"I know this isn't what you all like to hear, considering how attached people get to their personalized weapons." Hansel said. "But weapons in this world are a dime a dozen."

"Even my Wolf Fang," Hansel continued, brandishing his katana, "isn't the most important weapon in my arsenal. It's my Semblance. Because it's my Semblance that truly sets me apart from my allies and my enemies."

"That's why we're going to focus on developing everyone's Semblances." Hansel told them. "I want every last one of you to be able to set yourself apart from your opponents, with a power of your own. And that will give you your own advantage in a fight, because that power is yours, and no one else's."

"And that brings me to the data I've managed to collect after a week teaching you and gauging your current level of power."

"First thing's first," Hansel said, "I'd like to begin by going over the students who don't have Semblances of their own."

"Team CRDL, Adel, Alistair, Daichi, you seven show impressive skills in certain fields, and yet none of you have a Semblance to call your own." Hansel said. "Now, I'm sure you think it's pretty cool how you've managed to last this long without Semblances, or perhaps you've been holding back, are shy, too proud, or hiding your true power. Regardless of your reason, it's just not going to cut it anymore."

Hansel then gave Coco and Cardin a stern glance. "You two are supposed to be the team leaders, right?" He reminded them. "Show some damn initiative, fools. You want to be worthy of those badges, you've gotta stand out too."

Cardin and Coco both remained silent at this. "No more half-assing anything," Hansel told them, "I want you guys to chat with Oobleck. I'm sure he'd be happy to provide you guys some books on Semblance development. And just because the rest of you aren't leaders doesn't mean you're off the hook. I expect you to join your leaders in studying up on things."

"No more holding back, got it? If you want to survive, then you need to show the world what you're really capable of."

"What about Arc, he doesn't have a Semblance either." Cardin pointed out.

"I was getting to him." Hansel said, turning his gaze on Jaune.

"…I can explain." Jaune said, still visibly intimidated by his teacher.

"I don't want to hear excuses. You're supposed to be the leader, and judging by your current records, your only claim to that badge is your…impressive tactical skills." Hansel said, shaking his head. "Tacticians are great and all, Arc, but at what point do you stop hiding behind others and letting them implement your plans, huh? It's pretty damn easy to be a tactician, when you're sending others to risk their lives."

"Th-that's not fair!" Jaune yelled. "I don't want people to die for my strategies to work!"

"Then grow a pair and get stronger." Hansel told him bluntly. "You want to keep your teammates safe? You can't just rely on strategy. You have a sword and shield, use them, and use them well. Otherwise, you're just a coward who hides behind strategies."

"Professor, Jaune has been undergoing combat lessons with me." Pyrrha spoke up, standing up for her leader and crush. "He's improving immensely."

Hansel nodded, satisfied with that statement. "Do me a favor, Nikos. If that's really the case, I want you to turn your attention to his Semblance."

"Yes, sir, I'll try to work in some lessons to help him unlock it." Pyrrha said before smiling at Jaune. "Jaune has a tremendous amount of Aura, whatever Semblance he has will be quite powerful."

"All the more reason for him to show some hustle and unlock it." Hansel noted before turning his attention back to Jaune. "You hear me, Arc?"

Jaune nodded. "Yes, sir," he said, nervously.

Hansel sighed. In spite of everything, Hansel could not help but question Jaune's place in school. He was honestly the one student he still could not justify being at Beacon. Sure, he had a lot of Aura and a strategic mind, but the former was useless if he could not use it well, and the latter was more useful in the military.

"That brings me to the second half that have actually developed their Semblances." Hansel continued. "And I actually have quite a bit I want to say to each of you."

"First, Rose," Hansel said, addressing Ruby by her last name like everyone else.

"Yes, Professor?" Ruby asked.

"Your Semblance can be quite threatening," Hansel admitted, "but only as long as it continues to outpace your enemies. You'll find in the near future that there are plenty of foes who are just in damn good shape."

"Oh, like you, right, Professor?" Ruby noted. "And Professor Ozpin, for that matter."

Hansel nodded. "Not just me. Cinder Fall is definitely faster than you. And that means," he continued, "you need to find a more creative application for your Semblance, like you did when you split yourself apart."

"I could revisit the idea of kicking up windstorms." Ruby suggested, wanting to bounce off ideas with her teacher.

"Yeah, do that, that sounds like it could really clear a room." Hansel told her. "But listen, figure out some new ideas quickly because right now, you're talented, but you're also severely limited in how you fight."

Ruby had to nod in agreement with that. "When you lose your scythe, you're frankly useless. So coming up with more creative uses for your Semblance will go a long way. Maybe also learn some hand-to-hand combat? Pair that up with your speed, and you'd be quite the bruiser."

Ruby nodded. "Xiao Long," Hansel addressed her, "you're a strictly hand-to-hand fighter. Do you think you could give your sister some tips?"

"More than happy to, Teach," Yang said, addressing Hansel with a nickname.

Thankfully, in this past week, Yang's hatred for her professor had cooled, especially after she finally got Ruby to open up about his personal apology to her. Now, while Yang was still often put off by how blunt he could be, she was open-minded enough to see his improvements and his knowledge of fighting. Thus, the nickname of Teach came to be. "And while we're on the subject, let's now discuss your Semblance, Xiao Long." Hansel told her.

"Probably not much to discuss, considering how awesome it is." Yang grinned cockily.

"Actually, yours arguably needs the most work." Hansel told her bluntly.

"WHAT?" Yang screamed.

Ruby giggled at Yang being called out. "Here's the deal, Xiao Long," Hansel said to her, "your Semblance is like a power meter in fighting games."

"Ooh, ooh, like Kung Fu Ninja Ultimate Slayer Death Battle 2!" Ruby yelled eagerly. "One of the coolest fighting games out there!"

"…The first one was way better." Hansel told her with a deadpan expression.

"…You are so right." Ruby said in resignation.

"Anyway," Hansel got back on track, "you build up power from the damage you take, and then send it back twice as hard. It's devastating, and perfect for close quarters combat."

"However," Hansel continued, "the drawback is that you are not immune to pain. You still feel every blow that's rained down on you. And your Semblance is only useful if you can remain conscious or physically capable of continuing the fight."

"How long before you are exploited by a technical fighter, who hits you in vital areas to render you unable to continue?" Hansel inquired. "For example, did you know that Adam Taurus was aiming to cut off your arm that night during the invasion?"

Though Yang and Blake already knew about Adam's intentions, hearing it from Hansel didn't make it any easier to process. Yang went pale while Blake's eyes reflexively widened in horror. Hansel nodded. "He wanted to maim you, Xiao Long." Hansel told her. "For his own sick amusement. And you wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing, because you would be armless and passed out from shock and blood loss."

"So…what do I do then?" Yang asked after a moment of silence.

"Well, in your case," Hansel said, "what you need to do is be more methodical in your approach to building up power. Leaving yourself open to take hits and build up that energy is not a good long term strategy. Decide when to build up the rage, and when to let it out."

"So…you want me to dodge?"

"What I want for you is not to take unnecessary hits." Hansel told her. "A fighter who does that can get their ass kicked even by a total wuss."

"If you want a template to build off, think back to my ass-kicking at Professor Ozpin's hands." Hansel told her. "If you want to make any alterations to your gauntlets install some hooked braces perhaps. Or, if you're concerned about the counterweight, just work to improve your speed, dodging, and ability to move in and out of your opponent's range safely."

Yang nodded in understanding. "I think it'll be the latter," she admitted, "adding something like that would add a bit too much counterweight."

"Belladonna," Blake's 'bow' perked up upon being addressed by her teacher.

Hansel restrained himself from frowning. _I can't stand how she wears that damn bow to hide those ears._ He admitted inwardly. _People with no confidence in their identity can be a liability in battle._

…At least he was not addressing her as Little Bow Peep anymore.

"Yes, Professor?" Blake inquired.

"Your Semblance allows you to create shadow clones." Hansel noted. "And not just illusions to fool your enemies and avoid attacks, you've managed to create clones out of dust as well."

Blake nodded. "Yes, sir," she said.

"You get points for creativity, Belladonna." Hansel told her. "But have you thought of pushing your Semblance a bit further than that?"

"What do you mean?" Blake inquired.

"Well, have you thought of making more clones?" Hansel responded with a question. "Or perhaps forming some sort of psychic connection to allow your clones to fight with you?"

"…That last one doesn't seem possible, sir." Blake said.

Hansel glared at her, making Blake flinch. Realizing what he was doing, Hansel took a deep breath. He still had to work on that. "You can't settle, Belladonna." Hansel told her. "That kind of thought gets people killed when they eventually run into a particularly tough opponent. And believe me, it's going to happen."

"Remember this, everyone, Semblances become stronger through training. They're like muscles. The more you use them, the stronger they get." Hansel reminded them. "So, there's no reason, Belladonna, to continue pushing your Semblance and evolving it into a much stronger weapon."

"You're talented, so don't waste that talent by not pushing yourself." Hansel told her.

"And rounding out the members of Team RWBY, Schnee." Hansel addressed Weiss.

Weiss nodded. "You've inherited your family's Semblance, much like I inherited mine." Hansel said, creating a small ball of black flames in his hand. "I'm well aware of the Schnee Family Semblance, Glyphs."

"Really, sir?" Weiss was surprised.

"Yeah, Old Man Qrow won't stop talking about how fun it is to mess with your sister." Hansel shrugged.

Ruby and Yang both laughed at this while Weiss bristled with rage at the thought of that ruffian teasing her big sister. "Anyway," Hansel continued, "let me ask you this, have you managed to summon yet, like Winter Schnee apparently can?"

Weiss's face fell at this. "No, sir," she said, "I mean…I did manage a partial summon…but…"

"A partial summon is a start." Hansel could not help but frown slightly at the girl's lack of confidence deep down.

 _That must be one fucked up family dynamic for someone like her to not have any real confidence in herself. What the hell did her old man do to her?_

"It is?" Weiss asked.

"It means you have a base that you can grow from." Hansel told her. "Now, do you remember how you managed it?"

"It all happened so fast, sir." Weiss admitted. "Everyone was in danger…and I just knew I had to do something, no matter what."

Hansel nodded in understanding. "Try to replicate that feeling, those emotions you felt." Hansel told her. "Not the situation, obviously, but it appears that the stress you felt triggered the summon. So try and remember how you felt and use that to try again until you've pulled it off."

"Is it really that simple?" Weiss was surprised.

Hansel shrugged. "Sometimes it is," he admitted, "when I was a kid, I struggled a bit with my Semblance training."

Hansel summoned a small black fireball again. "This was all I could manage." He revealed.

"But eventually, intense emotions triggered much stronger flames." Hansel continued. "And it took replicating those emotions to help me train and build up my Semblance."

"What emotions were they?" Weiss asked.

Hansel took a deep breath. "Rage." He admitted.

Everyone fell uncomfortably silent at that statement. "People say that Semblances are a reflection of our innermost desires, thoughts, beliefs, personality traits, whatever you want to call them." Hansel reminded them. "As a familial Semblance, these flames represent our family's innermost desire."

"To destroy our enemies completely, until nothing but ashes remain."

"Holy shit…" Yang muttered, visibly intimidated by this statement.

Ruby gazed at Hansel in shock. _I don't get it, why would an entire family have that desire?_ She wondered.

 _"My family is gone."_ He had said.

 _Professor…what in the world happened to your family?_ Ruby asked herself.

"But enough about me," Hansel said, getting back on track once more, "we're not here for therapy, we're here to learn combat. Now where was I? Ah, right, now that we've gotten through Team RWBY, let's get to Team JNPR. Or in this case, NPR."

"Valkyrie, Ren," Hansel addressed the odd pair first.

"Yes?" Ren inquired.

"You two have very interesting Semblances." Hansel noted. "Valkyrie, you can absorb electricity and convert into power, and Ren, you can mask all emotions entirely, perfect for hiding from the Grimm."

Ren and Nora both nodded. "I'm addressing you both simultaneously because I have the same advice for you both." Hansel told them. "Whereas Team RWBY needs to push their Semblances even further to strengthen them, you two need to consider evolving your Semblances."

"Err, you mention evolution like it's a particularly important word, sir." Ren noted. "Would you mind expanding on that?"

Hansel nodded. "Contrary to popular belief," he said, "a Semblance often doesn't stay the way it is when you first unlock it. Through training, it strengthens and becomes something completely different."

"For example, my family's Semblance was originally thought to be generating intense heat for increased combat capabilities. But later, it was discovered that it was straight-up pyrokinesis. If you want other examples, some people think they generate water from their body for their Semblance, but instead, it's actually manipulating the water molecules around them. Or, if you want an in-class example, Rose evolved her Semblance by giving it the added ability of splitting herself apart."

Ruby looked visibly proud of this. "My point is," Hansel continued, "your Semblances are impressive, but I personally think they have the potential to evolve into even greater weapons, that could actually make you true juggernauts in terms of power."

"Ren," Hansel addressed Ren first, "you could mask your presence entirely, making you perfect for assassinations."

"And Valkyrie," next, Nora, "what if your Semblance wasn't absorbing electricity, it's manipulating it, and absorbing it is just only the surface of your power?"

Ren and Nora remained silent at Hansel's question. "My challenge for the two of you, is to examine this concept further. Train your Semblances, push yourselves to try new things with it, like I told Belladonna, and see if it evolves."

Ren and Nora both nodded. Hansel then turned his attention to Nikos. "As for you, Nikos, you're definitely every bit the prodigy people claim you are." Hansel told her. "And it's reflected in how well you use your Semblance. Arguably, you have the best developed Semblance in your entire class."

"Err…thank you, sir." Pyrrha said.

"But that doesn't make you the strongest. I want you to now consider increasing the amount of weight you can lift with your polarity manipulation." Hansel told her. "Glynda can lift a building's worth of weight with her Semblance, I want you to try and do the same."

Pyrrha's eyes widened for a brief moment. A building's worth of weight. "Are you…serious, Professor?" She asked.

"Dead serious," Hansel nodded, "or is Sanctus Academy's champion intimidated by being challenged for once?"

Pyrrha fell silent for a moment before nodding in understanding. "I will…devote myself to adding more weight to my Semblance's power." She said.

Hansel remembered what Ozpin had told him, how he had also wanted him to monitor Pyrrha's development into the new Fall Maiden. _She has the potential, but she can't handle the Fall Maiden's powers if she isn't even willing to push her own abilities to their limits. The Maiden powers are extremely demanding of their host. They require a tremendous amount of Aura, and an equal amount of skill in wielding it. If Professor Ozpin really wants me to help develop her abilities as a Maiden, she needs to perfect her Semblance, first._

"Umm, sir, you forgot Velvet." Coco suddenly spoke up.

Hansel frowned at Coco. "No, actually, I didn't."

Velvet Scarlatina's ears drooped adorably, bracing herself for what she assumed to be a long criticism. However, his words instead floored Velvet and everyone else in class. "Congrats, Scarlatina, based off your Semblance alone, you're actually the strongest person in this class." Hansel revealed.

Velvet's mouth dropped open. "Eh?"

"Velvet is the strongest, Teach?" Yang was shocked. "But what about Pyrrha? You just said her Semblance was the best developed among us."

"But that doesn't make her the strongest," Hansel reminded Yang, "I did say that Nikos has plenty to improve on through actual, demanding training. Nikos is a natural, but geniuses aren't always the best."

"No, as of right now, everyone, the strongest person in your class, is Scarlatina." Hansel revealed.

Velvet could only stammer in disbelief. "Not only that, but you're immensely skilled with it. You use your camera to take photos of people, and then use those pictures to mimic their fighting styles." Hansel noted. "Honestly, I'd hate to come across someone with that many skills. It makes fighting them hard to predict."

Velvet still stammered. It had been so long since someone had shown so much faith in her. Hansel then gazed sternly at Velvet, silencing her. "You and I both know you're skilled, Scarlatina, so why is it that you still doubt your abilities?"

"…I can't be as strong as you think I am, sir." Velvet finally spoke.

Hansel shook his head. "I don't bullshit people, Scarlatina." He told her. "You're definitely the strongest one here, which is why all this self-doubt is a bit irritating."

Velvet once again fell silent at this. "Right now, there are only two things you lack, one is confidence." Hansel told her. "You need to be sure of your abilities when you go out and fight. Don't give a damn what others say to you. If you know you're strong, stand tall and show the world just how powerful you really are."

"The second is that you need to train to either cover up your weakness of losing these copies every time you use them, improve the time you can use them, or work to lose them all together. However, I do strongly believe that as you are now, you are arguably the strongest person in this class."

"But first, work to improve your confidence." Hansel told her.

"I don't know…" Velvet could only mutter.

Hansel sighed. "And this is what I mean when I say that the kingdoms have really screwed up in forcing the Huntsmen Academies to lower their standards." He said. "Not only does it create a tremendous amount of students who aren't cut out for this life, but it forces those who actually have talent to tone it down."

"It's bullshit if you ask me. If someone's truly talented, truly special, truly able to stand out, those talents need to be celebrated, not discouraged. We don't exactly live in a world where we have the luxury of trying to equalize talent, which makes this whole thing even more irritating."

Hansel then turned his attention to Coco. "Adel," he said, "as her leader, I'm giving you the responsibility of helping her with this. No more keeping Scarlatina down, I want you to encourage her to use her abilities every chance she gets, no exceptions. This'll be a good first step into getting her confidence up."

"Sir, this sounds like favoritism." Weiss spoke up.

"I'd be doing the same thing if I noticed any of you had Scarlatina's struggles." Hansel assured her. "Fact is, different approaches work for different people. And most importantly, don't forget that I'm the teacher here, it's my responsibility to whip you all into shape. And how I do that is going to vary with each and every one of you."

"So, what do you say, Scarlatina?" Hansel addressed Velvet once more. "You think you're up to the task?"

Velvet was admittedly touched that Hansel was showing so much interest in her and her development. None of the professors had. Ruby could not help but smile. There was the heart of gold that was hidden inside of Hansel's blunt and rude attitude towards literally everything. She had noticed it more and more since Hansel's apology to her a week ago. Still, if she was falling behind Velvet, Ruby clearly needed to push herself even further…

"Alright, Professor," Velvet said hesitantly, "if you really think I have that much potential…I'll give it a try."

Hansel gave a curt nod. He then felt his scroll vibrate. It was a message…from Qrow Branwen of all people. Hansel raised an eyebrow and opened it to read: Call me when you have some free time. We need to talk.

 _He's never messaged me before._ Hansel noted. _What's this all about?_

Tabling those thoughts for another time, Hansel got back to his lesson. "Okay," he said, "with the time we have left, let's take some time to revisit the basics of Semblance training, then discuss how we take them further."

It was time for a new week at Beacon. A new week and also new foes…

 **A.N: I'll see y'all in about a month. Time for me to go on break, recharge the old batteries, keep up my job hunt, and play my brand new God of War (PS4) and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. See y'all then.**


	8. Chapter 8: Light and Darkness

**Chapter 8: Light and Darkness**

With the knowledge that Qrow Brawnen wanted to speak with him, the day went by quicker for Hansel Kobalt. Teaching his remaining classes before lunch, Hansel managed to carve out enough spare time to call Qrow on his Scroll.

 _If this is important, he better not be out drinking._ Hansel angrily thought to himself as he dialed Qrow's number on his scroll.

Even after years of knowing Qrow, Hansel still considered it odd that he kept the old drunk's number on his Scroll. As far as he was concerned, Qrow was just a colleague, not an actual friend. Of course, for Hansel, that was not necessarily a reason to have Qrow's contact information. He just ended up getting it one day from Ozpin and was just too damn lazy to delete his contact info.

Much to his relief, Qrow picked up. "Qrow here," the veteran Huntsman answered.

"Qrow, it's Hansel," Hansel said, "what did you want to tell me?"

"Sheesh, kid," Qrow said, laughing a little, "did you have to call during lunch? I was about to head to a local restaurant for happy hour."

"Of course you were," Hansel muttered before saying with greater volume and much more annoyance, "now cut the bullshit, Qrow, you said you had something you wanted to talk to me about. The least you can do is make an effort to be sober if you wanted me to call you that badly."

"Kid, it has been an hour since my last drink." Qrow told him. "And happy hour, is quite frankly, my favorite hour of the day. If you actually bothered getting to know me, you'd know that."

"First of all, I don't need to get to know you to know that you belong in AA." Hansel told him. "Second of all, Glynda doesn't exactly think you're the most reliable guy out there. And her judge of character is pretty damn accurate most of the time."

Qrow snorted. "Momma's boy," he taunted.

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "Don't push me, Qrow, I am really not in the mood for your shit right now." He said. "I'm not exactly happy with wasting my lunch break talking to you either, so get to the point already, and then we can both get back to what we were doing."

"Okay, okay, just cool your jets, Fireball." Qrow said, referring to Hansel with his unflattering nickname.

Qrow then took a deep breath. "Look, my spy network's updated me recently." Qrow said. "The Don is making his move into Vale's criminal underworld."

Hansel immediately narrowed his eyes in anger. "Antonio Corleone," He growled, "what the hell is he doing in Vale?"

"Look at the facts, kid." Qrow replied, "now that Roman Torchwick is in jail for good this time, and out of the picture, there's a massive power vacuum in Vale's criminal underworld. And Corleone's the only man with the ambition to try and take it over, like he did with Vacuo, Mistral and Atlas."

Hansel fell silent at this. "Look, I'm honestly worried about this." Qrow admitted. "I've heard stories about Corleone. The guy's a monster; he makes Torchwick look like a saint, and Torchwick's a scumbag that joined up with the Queen and that Cinder woman just to save his own hide from the apocalypse."

"I'm aware of how much of an asshole Corleone is, Qrow." Hansel told him. "The man ruins people's lives without a second thought, whether it's through drugs, human and faunus trafficking, or stealing. And that's not even getting into his little hobby of taking the severed heads of people who oppose him, and delivering them to their loved ones' doorsteps like a flaming bag of shit."

"You really need to stop using crude analogies when describing severed heads, kid." Qrow told him. "It's kind of insensitive."

"Why are you telling me this, Qrow?" Hansel asked Qrow, ignoring his advice.

Qrow sighed. "Kid, I'm busy trying to find a lead on where Cinder went or what Salem's next move is." Qrow reminded Hansel. "Not only that, but Oz has me keeping an eye out for the other three Maidens. He's concerned that since we're on high alert and keeping Pyrrha Nikos under such heavy surveillance, she'll just turn her attention to Spring, Winter and Summer."

"The point is, I can't do a damn thing about the Don right now, but you can." Qrow said. "You need to go to Ozpin, tell him all of this, and try to get him to put you on leave so you can find some way to cripple the guy's operations."

"You do realize that in most situations a mission to cripple an entire criminal underworld takes months or even years, right?"

"Most situations have normal people dealing with the matter, and last time I checked, you're not exactly normal." Qrow reminded him.

Hansel fell silent once more. "Also," Qrow added, a bit more gentle, "I know how much dealing with this 'Organization' of yours means to you. If you think you can get more information on what it is you're looking for out of Corleone; information that can help you beat those guys; then you owe it to yourself to give it a shot, and do everything you can to take down Corleone and get that info."

Hansel's eyes widened, realizing that Qrow was actually just trying to help him. Hansel then nodded. "Send me everything you've got on these new developments." He told the older man. "I'll…see what I can do."

"You got it, kid." Qrow told him.

"And Qrow?"

"Yeah, what?" Qrow raised an eyebrow, wondering what else Hansel could possibly have to say to him.

Hansel's next words nearly floored him. "Thanks," he said simply.

Qrow's mouth dropped open on the other end before he grinned in disbelief and amusement. "Well, what do you know," he said, "and here I thought you didn't know how to thank people."

"Don't push it, Qrow. Just take the thanks and go before I change my mind." Hansel growled.

Qrow just chuckled and hung up. His face then adopted a worried one. "Just be careful, kid," he muttered to himself, "throwing yourself in the fire like that, all alone, I've never been too fond of it. I just hope your luck hasn't run out just yet."

Qrow then entered the local restaurant. He soon found himself gazing at a hooded man sitting at a table at the end of the building. His contact. "Kid needs to learn to respect his elders." Qrow mused. "I'm also on business, too."

Hansel, meanwhile, found himself heaving a sigh, wondering how he was going to manage this, as he waited for the information Qrow promised. "Damn it, it's not like I can just walk away from teaching, even Professor Ozpin won't be able to just let that go." He noted.

"And I just gave the students a new assignment. Brainstorm ideas on how to develop or unlock their Semblances and then try to demonstrate them during training exercises…"

Hansel trailed off, realizing what he was going on about. He found himself shaking his head frantically and comically. "Gah, what the hell am I saying?" He wondered. "This is just a dumb job I've got to do on the side to help those brats survive. I am not a teacher, I'm a huntsman, first and foremost!"

"And destroying the Organization is my biggest goal, first and foremost, I can't forget that." Hansel reminded himself.

Hansel nodded. "That's right, this is just something I'm doing for Ozpin's sake…and those brats have shown they're at least worth the effort." He added.

"But I can't ignore the fact that Corleone's consolidating more power, even taking the Organization out of the equation, it's just going to lead to terrible things."

"Gah!" Hansel screamed furiously. "This is so stupid, I shouldn't be having this much trouble with this decision! Why can't things be easy for once?"

"Stupid training exercises, stupid Corleone…" Hansel trailed off as an idea suddenly came to mind.

"Training exercises…Corleone…" If Hansel smiled more often, he would have.

Later that day, Ruby Rose broke away from her teammates. "Where you heading, Rubes?" Yang asked her little sister. "The dorm is this way."

"You guys go on ahead," Ruby said, "there's…something I need to take care of."

Yang smirked. "Another rendezvous with Teach?" She teased.

Ruby blushed at this. "Yang, come on!" She exclaimed. "He asks me to come to his office one time and you start teasing me about that?"

Yang just laughed while Weiss and Blake sighed at the blonde's immaturity. "To answer your question," Ruby said, "I'm actually going to go and see Professor Ozpin. There are some things I'd like to discuss with him."

This caught Weiss's attention. "Ruby, you can't just march up and meet with Professor Ozpin. The man is the headmaster. He's probably too busy to see you."

Ruby shook her head. "I don't think so," she said, smiling, "Professor Ozpin will make time for me."

"Since when have you become Professor Ozpin's favorite student?" Yang frowned.

"Since he realized how awesome I am." Ruby teased as she ran off.

Yang watched her sister run off before an idea came to her. Blake sighed and grabbed Yang by the arm. "No, Yang, we are not going to eavesdrop on a private conversation."

Weiss nodded. "Agreed," she grabbed Yang by the other arm, "Ruby has a right to privacy that you should respect."

"Boo!" Yang yelled as the two worked to drag her back to the dorm. "You two are no fun!"

While Yang was dragged away, Ruby made her way to the elevator towards Professor Ozpin's office. She noticed an intercom and pressed the button on it to call up to the man. "Yes?" Came Ozpin's voice.

"Professor Ozpin, it's Ruby Rose. Would you mind if I come up? I'd like to speak with you about something."

"Ah, yes, of course, Ms. Rose." Ozpin said jovially. "I'd be happy to speak with you."

Ruby nodded and entered the elevator, quickly moving up to Ozpin's office. She was immediately greeted by the man's calm but kind face. "Good afternoon, Ruby," Ozpin dropped his formalities to properly chat with her, like he did when she was struggling in her leadership role. "I must admit, this is a rather unexpected visit from you."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Ruby admitted.

"Oh no," Ozpin shook his head, "believe me, after the past few weeks, I could really use a break, and spending some time with a student is just what I need."

Ozpin gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit down," he said, getting up, "would you like some cocoa?"

"Cocoa?" Ruby was surprised as Ozpin went over to a table off to the side. "Umm…sure, I guess."

"I was just about to make a fresh pot." Ozpin said as he quickly made some cocoa and poured some into his signature mug.

"I…always thought that was coffee." Ruby admitted.

Ozpin chuckled. "Contrary to popular belief, it's actually cocoa." He admitted as he poured more cocoa into a second mug.

Ozpin then walked over and handed the second mug to Ruby before returning to his seat. "So, Ruby, how have your classes been?"

"They've been great," Ruby smiled, "it's nice to get back into things after everything that's happened."

"And how are you finding your new teacher? I hope Hansel has shown some improvement since the first couple of days."

"Oh, things have been great in combat classes." Ruby assured Ozpin. "He can say some real harsh things sometimes, but Professor Kobalt is actually really nice when you get to know him. He's just…bad at showing it, I think."

Ozpin nodded. "I'm glad to hear it, that kind of testimony should at least calm people down when they inevitably complain about me hiring someone young enough to be a student."

"…Why did you hire Professor Kobalt?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Well, I would hope his classes speak for themselves at this point," Ozpin admitted, "but Hansel, as I'm sure you've realized, beneath his stubbornness, is a fighting genius. A prodigy, much like you when I recruited you to Beacon."

"Aww come on, I'm no prodigy, I've still got a lot to learn." Ruby claimed.

Ozpin chuckled. "Prodigy doesn't mean perfect, Ruby, it just means that you've grown at a rate faster than many of your peers. Hansel was the same way when he came to Beacon and was made my apprentice."

Ruby nodded in understanding. "But enough about Hansel, what did you want to talk about?" Ozpin inquired.

Ruby took a deep breath, now completely serious. No turning back now. "It's taken a lot of courage to approach you about this," Ruby admitted, "but I think I'm finally ready to talk about it."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow for a brief moment before narrowing his eyes, knowing what this conversation would be. "I see, and what would you like to talk about?" He asked, playing the role of the unsuspecting one.

"Uncle Qrow said that my silver eyes make me special." Ruby got right to the point. "What did he mean by that?"

Ozpin nodded, knowing that this conversation had been a long time coming. He took a quick sip of his cocoa and responded. "Qrow told me that he had given you a basic understanding of your eyes." He noted. "What else would you like to learn, Ruby?"

"Why are they so special?" Ruby asked.

Ozpin nodded in understanding. "From what I could piece together about what happened, you were triggered by intense emotions that caused you to manifest your powers."

"You see, Ruby," Ozpin said, "what you've used is a hereditary power passed down a bloodline. A power with the capability to change Remnant's fate."

"Uncle Qrow mentioned how even the Grimm feared them, is that true?" Ruby inquired.

Ozpin nodded. "Your eyes do indeed carry a power that even the Grimm fear," he revealed, "your eyes, Ruby, are the very antithesis of the Grimm. Whereas your eyes carry hope, the Grimm are creatures of despair."

"What does that mean?" Ruby inquired.

"Perhaps I used the wrong analogy," Ozpin admitted, "very well, how much do you know about old legends?"

"Umm, do fairy tales count?" Ruby asked.

"Close enough," Ozpin shrugged, "you see, Ruby, there are stories of how Remnant was created. The story I choose to believe is that Remnant was created by two brother gods. A god of light and a god of darkness; two brothers who were constantly at odds with each other."

"The elder god of light created water, plants and wildlife during the day. Then at night, when the younger god of darkness woke to see his brothers creations, out of spite, he created drought, fire and famine to destroy them."

Ruby's eyes widened. "But what the younger brother underestimated was life's ability to endure, so he created the Grimm, creatures with an innate desire to destroy everything."

"Weary of feuding, the older brother proposed they work together two create a masterpiece they could both be proud of." Ozpin continued. "A creation with the capacity for both light and darkness, the capacity to be both good and evil."

Ruby realized what Ozpin was getting at. "They created humanity." She realized.

"Exactly," Ozpin nodded, "now, you're probably wondering what this has to do with your eyes."

Ruby nodded. "Ruby," Ozpin continued, "do you think that creations of gods are a result of magic? Divine power?"

"Well, of course," Ruby said, "what else could it be, right? I mean, it's not like we can create life with our power."

"In a way, you're right." Ozpin said. "For better or worse, the Grimm are creatures of magic, constructed by the divine power of the younger brother. A dark magic, yes, but magic all the same. There are other legends that say there was a time when humanity could use magic, but it paled in comparison to the gods. There was our magic, and then there was the divine magic that the gods could use."

"However, they were both vulnerable to a particular kind of weapon." Ozpin continued. "The power of the silver eyes."

Ruby gasped. "My eyes?"

Ozpin nodded. "Your eyes carry the power of a sort of anti-magic, Ruby." He revealed. "Not just anti-magic though, anti-power is more accurate. When you manifest the power of your eyes, you gain the power to cut right through power of all kinds. Not only that, but indeed, a single flash of your power can wipe away the life force of a Grimm. Not its influence, but its life force."

"Its influence?" Ruby was confused.

"Grimm are also creatures of hate and spite, representing the younger brother's hatred for his older brother's creations." Ozpin reminded her. "You can destroy their life force, preserving them in a sort of suspended animation, but you cannot destroy their hatred for all around them."

"So that's why they're able to kill with a look," Ruby realized, "my eyes…are the Grimm's worst enemies?"

Ozpin shook his head. "No, my dear," he said, "not if you do not keep up your training."

Ruby looked at Ozpin in surprise. "Ruby, as powerful as your eyes are, a weapon is useless if used improperly or without knowledge of it." Ozpin told her. "Your eyes aren't the Grimm's worst enemies, you are the Grimm's worst enemy…after you complete your training and reach your full potential."

"I don't want you to think this means you can go out and start killing Grimm on your own." Ozpin told her. "No, you need to stay here, and continue your training."

"But how can I when people are dying?" Ruby demanded. "If I'm really so special…if I really am capable of making a difference…then I have to do something! No matter the cost!"

Ozpin shook his head. "And if you get yourself killed, then it will have all been for nothing." He told her sternly. "Ruby, even if you do have this power, you are still just a child with a lot of room for growth."

"That's why us adults are here." Ozpin told her with a reassuring smile. "I promise you, we'll do all we can to keep Remnant safe, until you are ready to do your part."

Ruby still looked uncertain. "I need you to trust me," Ozpin continued, "I've been with plenty of Silver Eyed Warriors like you for a long time. And no matter how strong you are, you still need to develop your abilities like everyone else."

"Like my mom, right?" Ruby asked quietly, making Ozpin fall silent. "She had silver eyes too."

Ozpin sighed, his face contorting into a look of guilt. "Yes," he said, "but not just her. I've known plenty besides her."

"And they all failed…right?" Ruby asked.

Ozpin nodded sadly. "I'm sorry about your mother, Ruby." Ozpin admitted. "Gods forgive me, her death still haunts me."

"It's not like it was your fault." Ruby looked at Ozpin in confusion.

Ozpin chuckled humorlessly. "In a way, it was." He admitted. "Remember when I told you that I had made more mistakes than any man, woman or child? That's more true than you think. I've made so many terrible mistakes, that even your mother, as amazing a Huntress she was, could not fix them."

"Was my mother really that wonderful?" Ruby asked. "Dad and Yang told me stories about her, but…"

Ozpin gave her a smile. "She was," he said, "Summer Rose was the best student I ever saw at Beacon, since Ashley Hollow herself. Those two would've been rivals once upon a time."

"Rivals, huh? So I guess she was pretty dedicated to her job, huh?" Ruby muttered bitterly.

Ozpin looked at Ruby in concern. "Do you resent your mother, Ruby?" He asked.

Ruby shook her head. "Of course not, I love Mom." She said. "And I'm proud of the fact that she was so great."

Ruby fell silent for a moment before sighing, her face contorting into an incredibly sad expression. "It's just," she continued, "I wanted a mother…instead I got a martyr."

Ozpin nodded in understanding. "I love her and respect her so much, and yet I can't help but be angry at her sometimes." Ruby shook her head. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"No, it makes you human." Ozpin assured her. "We all have something that we're ashamed of, Ruby. That doesn't make us bad people."

"Not Cinder Fall," Ruby growled.

Ozpin frowned at the mention of that woman. "She doesn't feel any shame. She did all that without flinching, without any guilt." Ruby noted. "I don't think I can forgive someone like that, Professor Ozpin."

Ozpin nodded in understanding. "Hey," Ruby said, just thinking of something, "if I got stronger, could I take down Cinder? If I took her down, it would go a long way to helping the world, right?"

Ozpin nodded before giving her a warning glance. "Do not hunt her down out of revenge, Ruby." Ozpin told her. "You have every right to be angry, but do not let yourself be consumed by revenge. Such emotions are dangerous."

"But you're right, defeating Cinder Fall would go a long way," Ozpin continued, "but make no mistake. It would not stop anything in the long run."

Ruby looked down at this. Ozpin then made the decision to get back on track regarding her silver eyes and the Grimm. "All you would do, is make yourself an even bigger target…of her master."

Ruby's eyes widened at this. "Her…master?" She asked in disbelief.

Ozpin nodded. "This was something else I had wanted to talk to you about, once you came to me with questions about your eyes."

"Now that your powers have manifested themselves, and now that you know of your heritage, you may one day have to face this great evil that has plagued Remnant for so long, because those who came before you failed." Ozpin grimly revealed.

"A great evil?"

Ozpin nodded. "The Grimm have a master among them. A primordial evil that has been with Remnant for years. An entity of pure malice and hatred that seeks the destruction of humanity."

"She has no fear, no weaknesses, and no conscience. Instead, she seeks to create fear, exploit weaknesses, and manipulates her followers to act without conscience." Ozpin continued. "And Cinder Fall is just another example of those she has turned to her side."

"Why…why does no one but you know about this woman?" Ruby asked.

"Not just me, Qrow knows as well." Ozpin admitted.

"But the reason she is a secret, is because the very knowledge of her existence would send humanity into a panic. Think about it for a moment, Ruby, the Grimm themselves are terrifying to humanity when they are merely viewed as beasts that hunt us. Imagine the panic that would ensue if people knew they were being commanded by an entity far more powerful than the Grimm, then any of us?" Ozpin reasoned.

Ruby let that sink in and realized that Ozpin was right. "God…" Ruby muttered fearfully. "…and people with silver eyes…are meant to fight this woman?"

"Only because she knows people like you are a threat to her creations." Ozpin told her. "That is also why I need you to stick with your training, stick with Beacon. You'll be in worse danger without it."

"And Cinder is…being commanded by this evil?" Ruby asked.

"Alongside other agents she keeps in the shadows." Ozpin explained.

"And…does she have a name?" Ruby inquired curiously.

Ozpin nodded. "She is called Salem." Ozpin revealed.

"Now, do you understand, Ruby?" Ozpin inquired. "If this is really the path you wish to tread, you may one day cross paths with her. And if that day comes, you need to be ready."

Ruby fell silent for a moment. Ozpin sighed. "I apologize if I scared you, I just felt that you had a right to know, if you truly wish to be pulled into a conflict that's far greater than you."

"'If I wish to'? Do I really have a choice?" Ruby wondered.

"There is always a choice, Ruby." Ozpin assured her. "And I won't hold it against you if you wish to not be involved."

"But I can't not be involved though," Ruby said, "if I really do have all this power, I can't just stand by and do nothing. Then…then Mom will have died for nothing."

Ozpin shook his head. "That may be true, but Ruby, it's not fair for you to be burdened with our problems because you feel like you have to."

Ruby fell silent at that statement. Ozpin gazed at Ruby, completely serious. "Why do you want to be a Huntress?" He asked.

"I told you the day we met." Ruby reminded him.

"Tell me your reasons today." Ozpin told her, shaking his head. "Really think about it and tell me, what is it that drives you? Not what your parents have told you. Not what I, or any of your professors, have told you. What does your heart tell you?"

 _Hansel's going to be angry at me for giving her an out, but I need her to really consider her conviction._ He added inwardly.

Ruby thought it over. She then gave an answer that surprised Ozpin. "Is it really so wrong to be driven by what other people tell you when you agree with it?"

"What do you mean?" Ozpin asked.

"People think that…if the only things you believe are what other people tell you, then you don't have beliefs of your own, but I don't know if that's entirely true." Ruby admitted. "I mean, don't people learn different ideas no matter where they are? Weiss and Blake learned two different sides of a conflict just by being around each other."

Ozpin's eyes widened, realizing that he may have actually underestimated Ruby a little. "You're right, Professor, a lot of my beliefs are what other people have taught me, but they're still my beliefs because I agree with them." Ruby admitted.

"So yes, I do still want to be a huntress because of the examples my parents set for me. I want to help people. I still want to be a huntress, because I want to be a beacon of hope for others, like you and every other professor taught me. But most importantly, it's because I want to try and create a world where people no longer have to be martyrs for others. I…I want to be the one who saves everyone, to avoid all of that misery."

"Most people would call you overly optimistic, naive, a fool." Ozpin told her. "Are you absolutely certain you want to raise your weapon in defense of such beliefs, when many of them aren't even your own?"

 _Except your belief in ending martyrdom._ Ozpin added inwardly. _That belief is all your own._

Ruby nodded without hesitation. "They're my beliefs too, Professor, because I agree with them. And it's better than just giving up and waiting for people to just die for nothing."

Ozpin heaved a sigh. _She still has much room to grow…but I've definitely underestimated her. Summer, she's definitely your daughter._

 _"I want to create a world, where children can play without worry."_ Summer had told him once upon a time. _"That's the kind of world I want to create."_

"Very well, Ruby, if that's your answer, then as your professor, I shall support it." Ozpin told her with a smile before adding seriously. "But be warned, your faith and optimism will be tested. In this world it takes far more faith to be the kind of person you want to be, then to be a cynic who has accepted the world as it is."

"But for what it's worth, I truly hope you keep that innocence." Ozpin added gently.

Ruby nodded in understanding. "Thank you for the lesson, Professor Ozpin." She said. "May I be excused?"

"Of course, I'd rather your teammates didn't worry about you."

Ruby nodded, but before she walked away, she had one last question she wanted to ask. "My friends," she said, "do I have to keep all of this from them?"

Ozpin sighed and nodded. "For the moment, yes," he admitted, "should the situation demand it, I promise you, I will help you tell them everything."

"That's good enough for me," Ruby nodded in agreement. "Thank you again, Professor Ozpin."

Ozpin smiled and watched Ruby leave. The man then heaved a tired sigh. "Damn," he cursed softly, "delay it as much as I want, she will eventually become the one that will lead the inevitable fight against Salem."

"Gods forgive me, is this what must be done in order for me to be free?"

Meanwhile, as Ruby rode down the elevator, a horrifying thought crossed her mind. _Salem…is she the reason Mom never came back?_

Meanwhile, in a dark, uncharted land, inside of an unholy structure, resided the evil entity known as Salem. The doors to the great hall of her fortress opened up, revealing three men of various appearances. A visibly insane man with a long ponytail that could not stop giggling. A dark-skinned musclebound man. And the third was a dapper looking individual with a huge mustache.

"Sit down, all of you." Salem informed them, sitting at the head of a large table and gesturing to three open seats. "Thank you all for arriving on such short notice."

"When my goddess calls, I answer." The ponytailed man responded, moving towards his seat and sitting awkwardly by crouching on his chair.

The mustachioed man nodded in agreement. "It was a bit sudden, Your Grace, but we are, of course, nothing but loyal." He took a seat as far away from the crazed man as possible.

The muscular comrade of their's simply grunted in agreement and sat on the other side of the crazed man as well. The mustachioed man then chuckled, noticing that a fourth comrade of their's was absent. "It appears there's someone missing, where's your little pet project, Your Grace?" He said tauntingly.

Salem remained calm at the man taunting someone who was not even here to defend herself. "Watts," she said to her subordinate, "as always, I do wish you wouldn't be so malicious towards young Cinder."

"And why wouldn't I be?" Watts inquired curiously. "With all due respect, Madame, Cinder failed miserably."

The ponytailed man giggled cruelly at her misfortune. "You should punish her, dear Goddess. Punish her."

"Cinder knows she failed." Salem replied dismissively. "Reinforcing the matter is pointless."

"Where is she?" The muscular man inquired. "She can't possibly still be injured from two weeks ago."

Salem shook her head. "No," she responded, "Cinder's injuries have healed, although they will take some time to rehabilitate."

"Rehabilitate?" Watts was surprised at this.

Salem nodded. "Not only that, but she is also busy…"

Salem was interrupted by a large explosion outside. "…coping." She finished.

"Disgraceful," the muscular man growled, "she should conduct herself in defeat with a bit more dignity. She should not have been beaten in the first place."

"I agree with Hazel," Watts nodded, "after all the help we had given her, it seems so unlikely for her to have failed. And now look at what's happened. Support for the Huntsmen Academies is higher, we don't have a complete Maiden, and Ozpin is still alive."

"All very true statements," Salem noted before chuckling in amusement, "this is my first real loss in a _very_ long while. Dear Ozpin should be thrilled to have actually won for once."

"How could one of us have failed in an assignment such as this?" Hazel inquired curiously. "Everything was in our favor."

"And this is where you three still have much to learn, just like Cinder." Salem told them. "We simply underestimated humanity's ability to unite and overcome for once."

"Is that what happed?" Watts frowned. "We underestimated our enemies this time? It can't possibly be that simple."

"Oh but it is, Watts." Salem said, amused. "That doctorate of yours causes you to overcomplicate things, sometimes. You look for too many complex solutions, and yet you fail to realize that sometimes it's the simple things that can make or break something."

The insane fellow giggled at this, making Watts instinctively glare at him. "Do not think my disposition means I'm not angry." Salem told them. "I'm furious."

"I'm simply choosing to be productive, by laughing it all off—like dear Tyrian over here—and preparing for a new plan."

Tyrian laughed at Salem gesturing to him, happy at being noticed by his goddess. "If I may, Your Grace," Hazel spoke up, "I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we want to know why the operation failed."

"It's just as I said, we underestimated our foes, and the kind of strength they had on their side." Salem revealed.

"Are you telling me Ironwood's pathetic military drove off our forces, after all the efforts I put into creating that virus?" Watts frowned.

"Or perhaps that sinner, Ozpin, has more power than we realized." Tyrian suggested.

"Surely, those students weren't enough to drive off one of us and an entire army's worth of Grimm." Hazel noted. "Just one of us should have been enough to massacre that school, as tragic as it would have been."

"It must've been those damned associates Cinder chose to ally herself with." Watts noted. "Just as I said when we were planning this, that unremarkable thug, Roman Torchwick, had no business being involved in our operation. And the White Fang are good for nothing except being attack dogs at our beck and call. And don't get me started on the thief and the assassin. Those two apprentices of hers are useless."

"Roman Torchwick was necessary to gain access to Vale's criminal underworld." Salem countered. "And the White Fang soldiers that chose to ally with us are useful for boosting our numbers. And young Emerald and Mercury are just that: young. But they also have potential."

"However, all of your answers—educated guesses they were—are all incorrect." Salem told them. "We did indeed underestimate Ozpin's faction…two warriors in particular."

"Two?" Watts inquired, visibly confused.

Tyrian laughed. "They must've been something to drive off little Cinder." He noted.

"Not at the moment, no," Salem admitted, "but their presence was…unaccounted for, which made them the reason our plans for Beacon Academy failed."

"Explain," Hazel grunted.

Salem's face contorted into an evil grin. "A new Silver Eyed Warrior has revealed herself."

This caught Tyrian's interest, as evidenced by his maniacal laughter. Watts rolled his eyes. "That old legend again?" He said, annoyed. "Ozpin can't seriously be putting his hopes in that again. How many times must he fail in using that little card against us before he gives up?"

"It will never be enough, he'll never stop." Hazel narrowed his eyes furiously.

"An old legend as it may be, but as soon as her powers manifested themselves, a young student of Beacon Academy, only fifteen years old, from what I was told, dealt a devastating blow to Cinder." Salem told them. "She's young, but her potential is clearly vast."

"But she's still nothing but a novice." Watts countered. "Half-Maiden or not, Cinder should not have had an issue with her."

"Cinder, unfortunately has a crippling weakness against the power of the Silver Eyes." Salem admitted. "And I will also take responsibility for what happened. I had honestly thought that line had been wiped out for good."

"Indeed, we've dealt with their kind before." Hazel nodded. "But, we were fools to simply assume they were all gone."

"There's more," Salem revealed, "the Silver Eyed girl wasn't the only hindrance that ruined our plans."

"Oh?" Watts was interested in this. "And what's hindrance number two?"

Salem smirked. "It appears we also underestimated Ozpin's ability to gather useful allies. Our old foe has gained one of the few remaining Kobalts as his ally: the Blue Demon, Hansel Kobalt. He got in Cinder's way, and delayed her from taking the Fall Maiden's remaining power. He was also the one who severely injured young Adam Taurus."

Tyrian stopped giggling for a moment to look at Salem in surprise. Watts' mouth dropped open. Even Hazel's eyes went wide as he gazed at his master with newfound interest. Tyrian then started laughing once again. "The cursed family," he started chanting.

"The Kobalts? As in the family that drove themselves to madness?" Watts could not believe what he was hearing. "I thought the last living ones had scattered to the far corners of Remnant, to die in solitude."

"The damn hypocrite," Hazel growled, regarding Ozpin, "to think he'd use someone from that family of devils while claiming to be a paragon."

"There are indeed very few Kobalts left." Salem admitted. "Three, in fact, and we were right to think they had vanished into obscurity, to live out their remaining days in shame and solitude. However, it seems that Ozpin managed to ally himself with the Blue Demon. And from what Cinder told me, he's quite close with Ozpin, as though the boy were his apprentice."

Tyrian smirked, interested in Hansel. "The Blue Demon, lots of stories about that one," he giggled, "yes, yes, yes, how wonderful. Just say the word and I will slay the demon, Milady."

"No, none of that, young Hansel will have his own part to play in the future." Salem brushed Tyrian off. "After all, a demon would be more at home among devils, don't you think?"

"You can't possibly want to recruit the boy." Watts was surprised at this. "The Blue Demon is just a title, Your Grace. A title that reflects the terror he strikes in the heart of the criminal element. Even if that boy has that cursed family's blood in his veins, I doubt he would just abandon Ozpin."

"Oh, it's just an idea," Salem said in a whimsical tone, "but if any of you encounter him, you're allowed to hurt him, but _don't_ kill him. In fact, that goes for both of our two hindrances. I want the girl brought to me. I would love to meet the warrior Ozpin has decided to put his faith in this time. As for Hansel, I want the boy broken thoroughly, physically and mentally."

"Break him, Your Grace?" Hazel was surprised at this. "To what end?"

"To hurt Ozpin's pride," Salem revealed, "and to also take advantage of the darkness in that boy's heart."

"His darkness?" Watts was also confused.

"He's a Kobalt," Salem reminded them, "that boy was born twisted, just like the rest of his family, and if we play our cards right, he will rise to the occasion and become one of us. If he's good enough to hold his own against Cinder and maim young Adam, he'll be quite useful to us."

"It's merely a side objective of course," Salem continued, "we will continue our plans as usual. But we will also use any opportunities we have to push young Hansel to become one of us."

"And we can hurt him, right?" Tyrian asked, anticipating the very thought of fighting and hurting Hansel.

"Of course," Salem assured Tyrian, "pain is the only thing the Kobalts truly understand. It is through pain that he will become our ally."

"As you command Your Grace," Watts said, "but please note that I am still uncertain of this plan regarding the boy."

"As am I," Hazel admitted, "but I will do as asked."

Salem nodded, smiling in satisfaction. "Wonderful," she said, "your loyalty is most appreciated. In spite of our setbacks, everything is proceeding according to plan. All I ask now is that you remain here and put your assignments on hold, for the time being."

"Why is that?" Watts raised a curious eyebrow.

Salem smiled. "A week from now, we will be meeting with Remnant's most powerful terrorist cell. They wish to open up dialogue with us. Yes, the shadowy 'Organization' that strikes terror in the hearts of the people of Mistral, Atlas and Vacuo."

"Gray Jackal."

Once again, Salem's actions stunned her associates. "You are all dismissed for now." Salem told them. "I advise you all to prepare for our meeting."

Watts, Hazel and Tyrian all bowed in respect as they exited the meeting room. "Oh, and Arthur," Salem addressed Watts by his first name.

Watts turned over his shoulder to gaze at Salem. "Since I know how dreadfully bored you get when you have nothing to do," Salem told him, "I want you to develop a new arm for young Adam."

"You don't intend to give him one yourself?" Watts was surprised.

"I believe you wanted to try out your own work after you saw mine." Salem noted. "Consider this opportunity an apology for sidelining you for the time being."

Watts smiled and bowed to Salem. "Thank you, Your Grace," he said gratefully, leaving the room with Hazel and Tyrian.

Salem then chuckled sinisterly at the thought of her plans. "To think, after all this time, I never put two and two together." She mused. "Oh Ozpin, I've definitely underestimated you this time. But, it will be the last time."

"And as for you, I look forward to properly meeting you soon…Hansel." Salem said with a hint of familiarity.

Back at Beacon Academy, Hansel Kobalt groaned slightly, feeling a headache coming on without warning. "Shit," he muttered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out pills of some sort.

Hansel quickly popped two pills into his mouth and swallowed them. He shook with slight relief, already feeling the headache leave him. "Why the hell can't these things happen more predictably?" He wondered.

Hansel then entered Ozpin's office. "Good afternoon, sir," he said respectfully, quickly pocketing the pills before the man could see them.

He hoped Ozpin did not notice. Ozpin did not need to know that he was taking medicines of various kinds. "Hansel, another unexpected meeting today." Ozpin said with a smile.

Hansel raised an eyebrow at Ozpin's statement. "Who else met with you?" He asked curiously.

"Ms. Rose," Ozpin revealed, "she asked about her eyes."

"How much did you tell her?" Hansel asked curiously.

"As much as she needed to know to understand what her role would be, but not enough for her to just rush out recklessly." Ozpin replied.

"As long as she's ready to do her part, I suppose that works just fine." Hansel shrugged, accepting that for now.

"So, what would you like to discuss with me, Hansel?" Ozpin inquired.

Hansel smirked. "I want to take a class out on a…field trip." He said.

 **A.N: By the power invested in me, by my powers as writer, I declare the Neverland Gorge Arc has officially begun!**


	9. Chapter 9: A Field Trip

**A.N: Warning, the following chapter has a brief scene of torture. You have been warned.**

 **Chapter 9: A Field Trip With Professor Kobalt (What Could Possibly Go Wrong?)**

Professor Ozpin gazed at his apprentice with a look of utter bewilderment on his face. "A field trip?" He repeated.

Hansel Kobalt nodded. "Yeah…that is what you still call it at these schools, right?"

"Well, we actually call them missions." Ozpin replied. "And an entire class? This is…a bit unheard of."

"I don't have to take an entire class." Hansel brushed the matter off. "I just want to take someone in the field to give them some field training."

"Well, if it's field training you might as well take the entire class." Ozpin responded. "But it is a little early to go out on missions again, Hansel. We're still in recovery from what happened during the Vytal Festival."

"Okay fine," Hansel rolled his eyes, "I'll take an entire class out into the field for some training. They could use a little bit more real life experience. There's only so much I can teach them in the classroom."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. Something was off here. While it was true that Hansel did previously pledge to gradually become a better teacher, Ozpin also knew that this sudden enthusiasm felt very out of character. "Hansel," Ozpin said, "what is this about?"

"I…don't know what you're talking about, Professor." Hansel denied. "I'm serious here, I think I can do better if I take my classes out in the field as often as possible. I'm sure Glynda would be happy covering my other classes the rest of the time."

"Hansel, not all of us have your stamina." Ozpin noted. "Now, why don't I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what?"

"Where is the Don stationed in Vale?" Ozpin inquired, knowing what this was all about.

Without thinking, Hansel responded. "He's hiding out in the Neverland Gorge, according to the information Qrow provided me." He revealed.

Hansel's mouth then dropped open, realizing he had just let it slip the true reason behind his request for a field trip with his students. "Ah shit." He muttered.

"I knew it," Ozpin groaned, "Hansel Kobalt, did you really think you could lie to me?"

"I'm so sorry, sir." Hansel said, wanting to bang his head on Ozpin's desk in frustration. "I promise, I really intended to teach them some things. I just also need to take this opportunity to eliminate Corleone. You and I both know he's a huge threat to Vale. And now he intends to make a move into Vale's criminal underworld and fill the void left by Roman Torchwick."

"Hansel, we've been over this." Ozpin said to him. "You are a teacher now. Your mission cannot be your only focus anymore. You know this, as does Qrow, which is why I'm a bit angry he told you this."

Hansel clenched his fists in anger and frustration. Ozpin then sighed. "However, it's better I give you permission to go than say no and you disobey me and go anyway."

Hansel's eyes widened. "Sir, are you saying you're really going to let me go and get Corleone?"

"Hansel," Ozpin took a deep breath, "going out of the kingdom is one thing. However, Corleone is attempting to move into Vale and take over the underworld. That is quite another thing. This is our chance to strike a blow to Vale's crime rate that it could very well never recover from. Organized crime will be set back for years."

"I'm also well aware of how much of a monster that man is, as are you." Ozpin pointed out. "I refuse to allow such a man to operate in Vale if I can help it. So, I will allow you to, just this once, shirk your duties as a teacher and focus on your mission."

Hansel nodded, looking grateful. "Thank you, sir." Hansel said gratefully. "You are a very kind man."

Ozpin smiled. "Just promise me a few things." He said.

"First, bring your students. Preferably, the class with Ms. Rose and Ms. Nikos, I do want you to try and teach them more and bond with them. Make sure they come back with a better understanding of how Huntsmen operate in the field."

"Second, keep them out of your clash with Corleone. I don't want any of them to get involved. They're just students."

"And third," Ozpin gave him a gentle gaze, "please stay safe. Don't do anything reckless. You're there to take down Corleone and obtain any information on Gray Jackal that you can find, that's it."

Hansel was taken aback by Ozpin's gentleness but calmed down and nodded. "I promise, sir." He said.

Ozpin gave his young apprentice a gentle, fatherly smile. "I know you will, my boy." He said. "I don't want to saddle you with added pressures, but never forget you're a teacher now, first and foremost."

"Your first priority must always be your students."

Hansel nodded. "Of course they'll be fine." He said, clearly not registering that. It just seemed obvious to him. Keep them as far away from Corleone and his men, and everything will be fine. It was not like he needed to do anything special.

Ozpin gave him a simple nod. "I know they will," he said, "Professor Kobalt, you officially have my permission to take your morning combat class out to the Neverland Gorge for field training."

Hansel nodded. "Thank you, sir." He said, dismissing himself from Ozpin's office.

A worried look then appeared on Ozpin's face. "I can't help but wonder," he muttered, "is Corleone only doing this because he is emboldened by Roman Torchwick's absence, or is there more to this?"

"Gray Jackal," Ozpin remembered when Hansel, a year ago, had approached him about tracking this shadowy terrorist organization, "partnering with Corleone and some of our own politicians; all the research you've gathered; gathering military strength on the level of a kingdom and conducting assassinations; just what in the world are you planning with all of this?"

Meanwhile, Ruby Rose suddenly got a message on her scroll, along with the rest of her team while having their free period. "Huh, it's an announcement from Professor Kobalt." Ruby was surprised.

"He's not giving us more homework, is he?" Yang groaned. "Just having to revisit basics in hand-to-hand combat to improve my Semblance is a pain in the ass."

"Yang, Professor Kobalt's advice was pretty reasonable." Blake pointed out, looking up from her book, known as _Evolution: Unlocking Your Semblance's Full Potential_. "He's absolutely right, too. Your recklessness is your biggest weakness right now. Eventually, we're going to come across enemies just as dangerous as the ones we met in the Vytal Festival."

"Are you finding anything useful in there?" Weiss inquired, changing the subject due to her curiosity about the content of Blake's book.

"He was right," Blake noted, "Semblances are like muscles, the more you use them, the stronger they get. And eventually, they have the chance to evolve into something different. I wonder if I really can create more clones, or even use them to attack, like Sun does."

Weiss then found herself thinking about Hansel's words. _So what I need to do, is simulate the emotions that caused me to do a partial summon._ She thought to herself. _How do I do that without getting myself in the same situation? That is just not practical._

"Guys!" Ruby suddenly cut everyone out of their thoughts. "Professor Kobalt wants to take us out of Beacon for training exercises."

Everyone looked at Ruby in shock. Then, they looked at their own scrolls to confirm. "Not just us," Blake noted, "he wants to take our entire class out."

"That's a surprise," Yang said, "I didn't think we did field trips; just missions."

"It's probably to give us all field training." Weiss pointed out. "He probably thinks it's better than just taking one team out, one by one."

"He can't possibly think he can supervise all sixteen of us." Blake voiced her only issue on the matter.

"He probably expects us to supervise ourselves as well." Weiss noted.

"We're not little kids, so we don't need Teach to supervise us the whole time." Yang noted, a bit put off by Blake's concern on the matter.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Once again, Ruby cut everyone off.

"Ruby, please contain yourself." Weiss sighed.

"I can't though!" Ruby yelled. "We haven't been outside of Beacon since that stuff with Mountain Glenn and the Breach! It'll be nice to just get out of school and do some real training in the field."

Blake could not help but nod at that. "Ruby does have a point." She admitted. "And with the kind of enemies we now have to deal with, any chance at getting stronger from some actual field training is welcome."

 _We're eventually going to run into Adam again._ Blake added inwardly trying to hide the grim expression on her face. _I need to be ready…I need to protect them._

"It says Professor Kobalt will explain everything tomorrow, including where we're going." Ruby still could barely contain her excitement. "Oh man, where do you think we're going to go?"

"I…guess we'll find out tomorrow." Weiss pointed out in a very matter-of-fact tone.

"Maybe I should go ask Professor Kobalt?"

"No," Ruby's teammates said flatly.

The Neverland Gorge was a dark and frightening place. Then again, most of Remnant was, but the Neverland Gorge was particularly terrifying. It was a deep chasm with only one way in and only one way out. Once the sun set to a certain point, it was completely dark. Perfect to hide the base of operations for organized crime.

Don Anthonio Corleone, a portly man with a pencil man, greasy black hair, a white bowler hat and a pinstripe suit, took a moment to look around his new base. "Roman Torchwick was a damn fool." He said of his predecessor, the man who once controlled Vale's underworld.

"I'm not surprised that a showboating twit such as him would completely miss the point of shadowy activities. Shadowy activities must be hidden in the shadows. Never out in the open for all to see. He thought he could better control his operations in the cities, where baddies could hide out in the alleyways and seedy parts of town." Corleone chuckled. "Why not just put up a sign for the police that says: 'we're working here'?"

"In order to effectively conduct a business like this, you need to be willing to base your operations in places where the authorities would never come without an army. It's all about location, location, location."

Corleone then addressed one of his subordinates. "Have we driven off the Grimm?" He inquired.

"Yes, Don," the man responded, "we lost some boys in the process, but we were successful. The turrets have also been set up too, so we shouldn't have any more issues."

Corleone sighed. "Damn, make sure they are given proper burials…what's left of 'em anyway."

"Yes, Don," the man responded.

"Operations like these…they also require sacrifice." Corleone mused to himself. "Good fellas who I will never see again. But success requires sacrifice, and those who aren't willing to go the extra mile for their business…don't deserve to run 'em in the first place."

That kind of attitude was exactly why Corleone had been approached by Gray Jackal in the first place.

"Don!" Another subordinate of his ran up to him.

"What is it?" Corleone responded.

"We've found the spy, sir. It looks like he followed us all the way from our operations in Mistral."

Corleone frowned. "How dedicated," he mused, "and how infuriating as well. There are fewer things that upset me more than traitors. Take me to him."

The subordinate nodded and took Corleone to a tent. He was then led to the back, where a man of Mistralian descent was on his knees with his hands tied behind his back and bruises on his face, having already been beaten by some of Corleone's subordinates.

Corleone frowned, visibly disappointed. "Sho," he said, "so you were the traitor?"

Sho glared defiantly at Corleone. Corleone shook his head. "This betrayal wounds me deeply, Sho." He admitted. "You had so much promise. I was honestly considering you for a promotion to my inner circle. And you go and do this instead?"

Corleone leaned down to get in Sho's face. "Why did you do it, Sho?" He asked. "Surely, the council couldn't have possibly paid you more than I did? You could've lived comfortably as one of my top associates."

Sho sneered at Corleone. "You whored out my sister." He said hatefully. "One of your businesses tricked her into debt, used her, drugged her up so she could have the stamina to serve each and every one of your sick clients! And then she died! Her body just couldn't take the abuse anymore! Hell yeah I agreed to spy on you! I wanted to take you down myself!"

Corleone sighed. "I see," he said, "you did it for revenge. I understand, Sho. I forgive you."

Corleone then heated up his cigar with a lighter. "But that doesn't mean you can't be punished for your crimes. Traitors burn the same as murderers."

Then, with an utterly impassive expression on his face, Corleone drove the burning end of his cigar into Sho's eye. The man screamed in pain as his eyeball was burnt by Corleone's cigar. "I forgive you, Sho, I pardon you." Corleone calmly told him, uncaring of the pain he was causing him. "I pardon you from life. Unfortunately, I can't pardon you from pain just yet."

"You need to experience the pain I feel from your betrayal." Corleone told him.

Sho continued to scream in pain. The subordinate behind Corleone winced, visibly unnerved at the sight. He should have been used to this by now. Just a week ago, Corleone had executed an entire group of men who had failed to protect a shipment of drugs from Atlesian police. It had been quick, but brutal; execution by firing squad.

Corleone then removed the cigar from Sho's eye. "Just for the record, you have only yourself to blame for what happened to your sister." Corleone told him. "If you really loved her, you would've never let her out of your sight."

Sho started weeping in his good eye at the mention of his sister. "I'm so sorry, Miki." He muttered to himself.

"Oh? Miki? So, she was your sister?" Corleone then leaned in to whisper something truly cruel into Sho's ear. "You know, she was a damn good lay."

Sho's good eye widened, realizing what Corleone meant. Corleone then reached into his pocket and took out a dagger. He then pressed the blade against Sho's neck. Sho then regained his composure and glared defiantly at Corleone once more, with tears in his eye. "Go to hell, you monster." He spat.

Corleone ignored Sho and dragged his dagger across the man's throat, slashing it open. Sho gasped and gagged as he collapsed onto his back. Corleone watched uncaringly as Sho twitched, gagging out his final throes of life. He then turned to the visibly bothered subordinate right behind him. "Remove his head from his body." Corleone told him. "Make sure it's kept preserved for a trip back to Mistral. I want the council to have it as a present."

"Y-yes, Don."

"And compose yourself, son." Corleone added. "Death is just a part of life."

"Yes, Don."

Corleone left the tent, cleaning his dagger on a handkerchief. He had done this so often, he had honestly become numb to it. The man was an honest-to-God sociopath. No conscience whatsoever, just looking for whatever benefited his business.

He then walked to his personal tent and met with his right hand man, the badly burnt Capone. "Do we have any word from our boys in the field?" Corleone inquired.

"No, Don." Capone replied with a raspy voice. "It is early, we'll have our first score soon enough. There's a shipment of weapons and Dust moving to the border."

"They're so paranoid about Atlas, they fail to account for enemies within." Corleone shook his head. "Fools who can't see the dangers around them deserve to fail, miserably."

"Do we have any messages from the Queen of Hearts?" Corleone inquired, referring to the liaison between him and Gray Jackal.

"She has not contacted us since we shipped out here." Capone replied. "I can imagine she's expecting us to make contact next. She better have our next payment soon. We're taking a huge risk, moving in here while Vale's at the start of a cold war with Atlas."

Corleone patted Capone on the shoulder. "You're rightfully paranoid, after what happened in Mistral." He noted, referring to the attack on one of his hideouts.

"I don't mean to be, Don." Capone admitted.

"But it is good you are, considering what happened to you and all the boys we lost that night." Corleone told him. "We simply cannot allow that to happen again, not when we are this close to scoring another big payment from Gray Jackal."

"Regarding that payment, we have no reason to worry." Corleone assured him. "Our business partners have been good and fair so far. So we'll continue to do jobs for them."

"What do you think they'll do with all of these weapons and Dust, Don?" Capone inquired curiously. "There's been talk around camp. Some of the boys are curious about what we're gathering all these supplies for."

"Capone, you know that doesn't matter to me." Corleone reminded him. "The only thing that matters to me…is the success of my business."

"Of course," Capone nodded, "my apologies, Don. You're right, I am paranoid. I just want to make sure we get this job done and we are properly compensated for our efforts."

"And that is why you're my number one guy, Capone." Corleone reminded him. "You sweat the small things because you worry for the success of the business."

"Go back to what you were doing." Corleone ordered Capone.

Capone nodded and left Corleone to his own devices. "People who know what I'm doing would try to appeal to my better nature. That I'm helping terrorists and plunging Remnant into chaos." Corleone mused to himself. "And I'd tell 'em, it's nothing personal."

"It's just good business."

The next day, Ruby Rose and friends entered Combat Classes once more, meeting with Hansel, who had a surprisingly chill smirk on his face, as though he was getting away with something he really should not.

"Good morning, kiddies," Hansel said, surprisingly at his most pleasant he has ever been this week.

"Umm…good morning, Professor Kobalt," even Ruby was a bit nervous at how disturbingly calm he looked.

"So, I'm sure you all read my message yesterday." Hansel told them. "And yes, it is all true, we're going on a little field trip tomorrow."

"And by field trip, I mean training exercise."

This caused a bit of a stir among Hansel's morning class. "All right, all right, everyone settle down." Hansel ordered them. "Don't be so surprised. Going on missions has always been a part of this school, right?"

"Not an entire class, Professor." Coco Adel pointed out. "That's the unorthodox part."

"Well, maybe, but frankly, I'd rather take an entire class and teach you all there instead of just wasting my time on one team each. I hate repeating myself." Hansel admitted. "So, we're all going."

"Now, granted, this won't be realistic. More often than not, Huntsmen work alone or in small teams, like what the academies place you all in." Hansel admitted. "That being said, you guys are not full-fledged Huntsmen, yet. You're students. And you need to be placed in simulations that actually give you a better understanding of what the life is actually like. This is also why we're going as a class. For everyone to get the same experience. I'm giving you all equal opportunities to learn from this. Don't waste it."

"Professor, if I may," Lie Ren raised his hand, "where are we going?"

"We're heading to the Neverland Gorge. I'm sure any of you whom originated from Vale are familiar with the place."

"Whoa, the Neverland Gorge?" Jaune Arc was surprised. "Sir, not that I don't trust your judgement, but doesn't that place seem a bit…too dangerous. I mean, even some Huntsmen have been known to go in there and never come back out."

"And that is why we will be focusing on the area around it." Hansel assured Jaune. "Believe me, I'm not interested in explaining to Ozpin how any of you died, so we're going to decrease unnecessary risks and shit like that."

"Now that we've got out of the way, let me make something perfectly clear. This is a requirement. I've already made up my mind that this is going to be the class going out on this training exercise. For those of you a bit squeamish about the whole thing…you're just going to have to man up. This is a part of the Huntsmen life. And if you're going to live the life, you need to understand just what it's actually like."

There was that attitude that left no room for argument again. "So, here's what the next few days are going to be like." Hansel informed them. "The first day is going to be devoted entirely to hunting Grimm and clearing an area for us to make camp. Then, we set up a perimeter. This is typically how Huntsmen begin their assignments out in the field. They clear out Grimm and make camp while completing whatever job they have."

"This is crucial, if you can't do this, we might as well go home." Hansel told them. "You've shown me how you fight each other. Now, show me how you fight Grimm."

"Afterwards, we're going to turn the area into our own personal boot camp." Hansel continued. "I've almost got a schedule in mind, but by the time we get there, you'll know just what we're going to do."

"But know this, I want you guys to keep the advice I gave you regarding your Semblances in mind. Because this boot camp will involve pushing your Semblances further. And when we're not pushing your Semblances, we're going to be building up your strength and shoring up your weaknesses."

"For example, Rose," Ruby perked up at hearing her surname, "better get used to not using that scythe of yours during camp, because you're going to be punching and kicking a ton. And when we're pushing your Semblance, expect to move as fast as you can."

"Sounds fun, I can't wait." Ruby smiled before adding sheepishly. "Just…please let me keep my sweetheart when we're hunting Grimm."

"Like I said, I really don't want to explain to the professor how you died, so keep it when we're Grimm hunting."

"So, let me be clear. You're all going. If you're serious about becoming Huntsmen, you need to dedicate yourselves to learning just what the lifestyle actually is."

Once again, that tone that left no room for argument. If Hansel wanted something done, it was done. He was very assertive in that regard. Thankfully, no one saw a reason to disagree with him. And hey, getting out of school and getting into the field was appealing.

"Now, good news," Hansel told them, "I'm going to give you all a gift. I'm offering you all the rest of the day off. The rest of your teachers know what I'm planning. You all have the rest of the day to gather any supplies you need for this trip tomorrow. Plan for four days."

"A day off from school? Awesome!" Yang cheered.

"Yeah, don't get too excited, Xiao Long." Hansel frowned at her. "I'm going to escort every single one of you outside of the academy grounds, where you will go into the city and buy supplies. I expect every single one of you to return before curfew with supplies to last you for the next few days. I'm talking non-perishable foods, stuff you can cook over a campfire, changes of clothes, all that jazz."

"Aww man," Coco pouted, "you're making sure we don't goof off."

 _So much for our coffee break and_ _ **my**_ _shopping spree._ She added inwardly. _That bag is never going to have a place in my closet at this rate._

"Damn straight," Hansel replied, "now get going. The sooner you get this done, the better."

Hansel clapped his hands together. "Chop-chop, folks, giddy up." Hansel told them. "Time waits for no one. The fact I'm even giving you time to prepare is me being generous. On most occasions, when Huntsmen go out into the field, they have no time to prep, especially when they're given an urgent mission."

And so, Teams RWBY, JNPR, CRDL, and CFVY went into the city of Vale to buy supplies for their first class trip. Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long were shopping for non-perishables and campfire food.

Yang frowned when she noticed what was currently in Ruby's hands. "Ruby," she said, sighing, "you are not living on an all-cookie diet for the next four days."

Ruby whimpered at this as she gazed at her many bags of cookies. "Ruby, now," Yang insisted in a strict, motherly tone.

"Boo," Ruby stuck her tongue out as she put the bags on the nearest shelf.

"Now, don't be like that." Yang gave her a gentle smile. "Take a look, I'm buying foods that I know for a fact you like. And look on the bright side, vegetables aren't really non-perishable, so you're off the hook for the next four days."

"Score!" Ruby cheered.

"Now, let's see," Yang looked around, "Teach mentioned that we'll be camping too, so we should get some hot dogs to roast."

Ruby frowned slightly at the way Yang referred to him. Sure, it was a far-cry from Professor Jackass a week ago, but something still bothered her. "Hey, Yang?" Ruby spoke up.

"What is it, Sis?" Yang inquired.

"Have you really forgiven Professor Kobalt?" Ruby inquired.

Yang tensed, remembering that disastrous first day of class. "I mean, not that I'm not happy to see everyone forgive him and give him another chance," Ruby admitted, "it's just…well, I was also surprised. You all forgave him so easily."

Yang sighed. "Don't get the wrong idea, Ruby, what he did was wrong. Any sane person knows that. And I think everyone in class knows that too."

"I agree." Ruby said.

"So I think the better question is, why did _you_ forgive him?" Yang asked. "After all, you're the one who suffered for his mistakes."

"He apologized," Ruby replied simply.

"That's it?" Yang raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, yeah, what he did was wrong. But should that mean we brush someone off when they try to apologize for it?" Ruby wondered. "I don't know, that just doesn't seem right to me."

"Why?" Yang asked. "If someone does something they wrong, conventional wisdom says they should be shunned, right?"

"Yeah, but is that right though?" Ruby wondered. "I mean, remember when Weiss said those awful things about me when I first became leader?"

"Yeah, you two look back on that so fondly nowadays, considering that whole experience ended up making you two besties." Yang pointed out.

"Weiss apologized, and she meant it. Now, yeah, it was nowhere near as bad as Professor Kobalt…doing what he did, but I do think the principle still applies." Ruby admitted. "Sure, what Professor Kobalt did was wrong…but, I don't know if that means people shouldn't be forgiven when they apologize. That seems wrong to me too, weird right?"

Yang shrugged. Ruby then smiled, fond of a certain memory. "Remember all those fights we used to have? We said some things that neither of us can ever take back."

"Ruby, you're exaggerating," Yang claimed, "at worst, all the fighting ever amounted to was me calling you 'Cookie Monster' while you called me 'Big Bird'. But I can understand what point you're trying to make."

Yang then laughed at the memories. "Still, thank God, Dad was always there to set us straight, otherwise we'd hate each other now. But you know, like that fight you had with Weiss, I think they ended up making us closer."

"Yeah, you forgave me for all the things I said to you, and I forgave you for all the things you said to me." Ruby remembered fondly.

"And you think this means you can let off Teach for his mistakes too?" Yang inquired.

"Not really let him off, just forgive him." Ruby replied. "I just…I just don't think I could forgive _myself_ if I didn't do that. And hey, he's at least showed he's serious about it so far, so I'm happy I did."

Yang smiled. "Honestly, Rubes, I feel the same way."

"Really?" Ruby was surprised.

"Like I said, I don't think everyone's really forgotten what Teach did, and I don't think we ever will." Yang admitted. "We're most likely always going to be a bit on guard."

"But, what you said back then, when you were in the infirmary, it put a lot of things in perspective. Teach is kind of an asshole, but you're right, he's not a monster. That bitch, Cinder, is a monster. Adam Taurus is a monster. Hell, Teach saved Blake and me from that Adam guy. And he'd probably claim he was just passing through or we were in his way…but he still saved us, and that counts for something."

"What he did was screwed up, but you're right, that doesn't mean we shouldn't forgive him. Hell, the guy deliberately humiliated himself just to try and show how sorry he was. He's got a weird way of doing things, but you can't really argue with something like that."

"But, I do think that knowing who the real monsters in this world are made things a bit easier." Yang admitted. "If the Vytal Festival hadn't happened, I'd probably feel differently about the whole thing."

"So you're right to be shocked we let him smooth things over that easily. But believe me, if he screws up again, he's not going to get off that easy a second time. But, honestly, Rubes, if we're gonna hold a grudge against anyone, it should be against those creeps that ruined the Vytal Festival, not a guy who went to so much trouble to apologize."

"And you know, for what it's worth, you're right, Teach has shown he's serious about being better. So I'm glad I gave him a shot too."

The two continued to shop for non-perishables and campfire food. Yang then decided to bring up another matter regarding what they were discussing. "Hey, Ruby?"

"Yeah, what is it?" Ruby inquired.

Yang put her arm over her little sister's shoulder. "You really do need to give yourself more credit." She told her.

"Huh?"

"You've got a wonderful head on your shoulders," Yang told her with genuine fondness and pride, "and one of the kindest hearts I've ever seen. You're still super awkward—like the 'bees knees' kind of awkward—but you also have an ability to see the best in others and believe in them. And…I think that's why Professor Ozpin made you the leader. He saw that in you as well."

Ruby smiled happily at her sister's assessment. "Thanks, Yang. That means a lot coming from you."

"You know, I learned that from watching you." Ruby admitted.

Yang was taken aback by this. "Seriously?"

"You're amazing at reading people." Ruby noted. "Because you spend so much time around others. It makes you able to see the best in others and empathize with them when they're in trouble, like you do with Blake. A part of me still kinda wants to be like you because…well, I admire that so much."

Yang could not believe what she was hearing. Ruby admired her so much she wanted to be like her. She shook her head, restraining herself from weeping at that statement. _Like me, huh?_ She thought. _Ruby, you dope. I always wanted to be like you._

 _That stuff you think you got from watching me…that's all you._ Yang thought, smiling inwardly. _You want to be a hero so badly, that you've devoted yourself to emulating the personalities of the heroes in the stories I used to read to you. And it's made you this wonderful person that's only going to become more wonderful as long as you keep going down the path you're on._

 _Ruby, you'll one day become a great Huntress, it's what you were born to be. And as your big sister, I swear I'm going to protect you and help you reach that point._ Yang vowed resolutely.

Meanwhile, in a different store, Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos were shopping together for camping supplies. Jaune, much to his confusion, found himself catching stuff tossed his way by Pyrrha's Semblance. It made no sense to him. Why did Pyrrha just not hand these things to him? Also, why was she standing all the way at the end of the aisle, blushing up a storm. None of it made any sense to him whatsoever.

To take a moment to step away in my role as an unbiased narrator, allow me to just say, Jaune Arc, you fucking dense moron. Now, back to our regular story.

"Camping for four days with Professor Kobalt," Jaune shook his head, "I'm actually a bit intimidated by the whole thing."

"R-really?" Pyrrha said nervously from all the way at the other end of the aisle. "I don't think we have a reason to be. Professor Kobalt has proven he's serious about trying to be a better teacher and person."

"Yeah, I guess that's true, but what worries me is the Neverland Gorge." Jaune explained. "Anyone who's ever lived in Vale knows about that place. It's…well, creepy. People avoid it for a reason. And Professor Kobalt wants to take us there."

"He did say we're not going into the gorge. I can imagine we'll be camping out in an area nearby." Pyrrha noted.

"Well, as long as we stay out of the gorge, we should be fine." Jaune concluded. "I guess I'm just a little on edge, after everything that's happened."

Pyrrha managed to bring herself to approach Jaune upon hearing this. "You know, it's not too late to drop out." She pointed out. "I know it's not like me to tell you to quit. But if you're on edge about what's happened and what will happen, you can always leave."

Jaune shook his head. "Out of the question." He said. "I'm staying in Beacon, no matter what."

"Jaune," Pyrrha remembered the day Ozpin told her teammates about her new status, "I'm happy that you all chose to stick with me…but I'm going down a dangerous path now. I couldn't forgive myself if…any of you got hurt because of me."

"And I couldn't forgive myself if anything happened to you when I could've been there." Jaune countered. "You're a member of Team JNPR, Pyrrha, we're in this together."

"Jaune…" Pyrrha said, choking up.

Jaune clapped her on the shoulders, making her blush instinctively. "You've devoted so much of your time to training me, making me better than what I was at the start, because you believed in me." He reminded her. "So believe in me now. No, believe in all of us. Because we want to stick together and help you through this."

"Thick or thin, Pyrrha, we're with you, no matter what." Jaune promised her.

"Jaune…" Pyrrha could only say.

"Speechless, huh?" Jaune smiled teasingly. "Yeah, I've been working on my heroic speeches. Thought I could fire people up that way."

Pyrrha giggled. "You dork," she said fondly.

Pyrrha then pulled Jaune into a tight embrace, surprising him. "Jaune, thank you…for everything." She told him.

"Everything?" Jaune was visibly confused by her statement and the embrace. "Err…no problem, Pyrrha."

Unbeknownst to the both of them, outside, Nora and Ren were gazing at them from the window. "Err…maybe we should join up with them another time." Ren suggested.

"They are going to make such adorable children when they finally get together." Nora said giddily.

Ren sighed at that statement. "Nora, please don't say something like that."

"Hey, Ren, what do you think they should be called? Knights in Love? Red Knight? Arkos?" Nora excitedly inquired.

"Nora, please stop trying to come up with a name for their relationship." Ren told her.

As the day ended and the preparations came to a close, Hansel Kobalt trained in Beacon Academy's courtyard, having conducted all of his classes outside to wait for his morning class to return from their shopping trip. Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched from Ozpin's office, by Ozpin himself and Glynda Goodwitch. Glynda could only proudly smile at her adopted son.

"Look at how hard he works." She said giddily. "That's my Hansel."

"Qrow will never let you hear the end of it, if he ever heard you talk like that." Ozpin noted teasingly.

"He's already shown so much improvement in his new job." Glynda ignored the jab to gush about her baby. "I've been listening in, and people have a much better opinion of him now."

"The general consensus," Ozpin corrected, "is that he is harsh and blunt, but honest and helpful. And as long as we don't have a repeat of the first day, that's acceptable."

"…Am I doing the right thing, Glynda?" Ozpin inquired after a brief pause. "Indulging him in his desire to eliminate Gray Jackal?"

Glynda's face fell at this. "I worry about him," she admitted, "I worry that his obsession is starting to consume him. I don't know what to do about that though, Professor."

Ozpin remained silent as Glynda expressed her worries. "I know why he's so obsessed. I know why he wants to…eliminate them. But…I'm worried that he'll reach the point of no return, the point where people like the White Fang become obsessed with nothing but vengeance and hatred. I don't want my Hansel to end up like Adam Taurus."

"We just have to have faith that the both of us imparted the right lessons and wisdom into Hansel." Ozpin assured her. "People really do tend to forget what influences do to a growing young man like Hansel. They can make all the difference."

"You think we did right by him?" Glynda inquired

"Specifically, you," Ozpin told her with a kind smile, "you don't give yourself enough credit, Glynda. You are a wonderful surrogate mother to the boy, to the point where I think he honestly views you as his blood mother."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short either." Said Glynda. "Hansel thinks the world of you."

Ozpin sighed as he gazed at his apprentice. _Sometimes, I wish he didn't. I worry that he may grow too dependent on me._

 _Because one day, Hansel, I will have to leave you…_

Outside, at the courtyard, Hansel's attention was drawn to an arriving airship. He let out a small smirk at the arrival of his morning students. One by one, all sixteen of them stepped off the airship with triumphant smiles on their faces. They all felt prepared for the day ahead of them.

Hansel nodded, satisfied with their actions. "Good," he said, "now go right to bed. I expect you all up bright and early as usual."

"Tomorrow, we have a trip to the Neverland Gorge."

 _And I have a date with a Mafia Don._


	10. Chapter 10: Hunting Party

**Chapter 10: Hunting Party**

The next morning, the students of the morning combat classes were up bright and early to meet up with their teacher. Hansel Kobalt awaited them all with that same unreadable expression on his face as always. Next to him was a very large traveling pack and a mechanical box. "Hey, come on, come on, come on." Hansel noted how several of them were yawning and clearly not fully awake. "You should be a wide awake for this kind of stuff. Do you really think the Grimm are gonna be afraid of walking zombies?"

"I don't think the Grimm are really afraid of anything, sir." Jaune nervously pointed out.

"Think of it this way, Arc." Hansel said. "Perhaps the Grimm don't seem afraid of anything because they haven't been given anything to be scared of yet. Wouldn't you want to be the first thing they were afraid of?"

"Did you just say something optimistic and encouraging?" Yang teased.

"Hardy har har," Hansel said sarcastically.

The young professor gestured behind him, revealing a large airship. "It's a bit unorthodox, but I managed to secure an airship big enough for all of us." He said. "Let's go, we don't have all day, and I'd like to be near the Neverland Gorge by noon."

With that, Hansel led everyone onto the airship. "Take your seats right now." Hansel ordered. "I'm not interested in wasting either the pilot's time, or mine."

Hansel took a seat at the front of the plane. Ruby, meanwhile, excitedly sat down next to Hansel, while the rest of Team RWBY nervously followed. Hansel looked at her like she had grown a second head. "All these open seats…and you choose here?"

"Yeah," Ruby smiled, not noticing Hansel clearly not appreciating having his personal space invaded, "I want to be the first one off the airship and the first one in the action."

"And she's our leader, so we kinda have to sit with her." Weiss pointed out.

 _Sheesh,_ Hansel groaned inwardly, _I keep forgetting how enthusiastic this girl is._

"Okay, fine," Hansel sighed, "you can all sit here."

"Well, don't sound so excited, Teach." Yang smiled teasingly. "Seriously, most boys your age would kill to be sitting with girls as cute as us."

"Good, I won't be excited." Hansel replied. "And it's kinda hard to be excited about that second part _when I'm your teacher_ , Xiao Long."

"Oh, so you admit we're cute?" Yang smiled knowingly.

"Yang, I think you've said enough." Blake said tiredly.

Hansel groaned, rubbing his temples in exhaustion. "Just some peace and quiet, that's all I want." He muttered.

He then called out to the pilots, after noticing that everyone had taken their seats. "Okay, you can lift off!" He called out.

"You got it," the pilot said over the intercom before addressing the students, "okay folks, we're looking at a two hour flight. We'll be dropping you all off about thirty miles away from the Neverland Gorge."

Blake was immediately suspicious. _Thirty miles? Why so far away?_ She wondered. _Is it to simulate what a Huntsman's journey is usually like on the job?_

Blake shook her head, shaking those thoughts away. _No, no, I shouldn't be so suspicious. Benefit of doubt, Blake. Benefit of doubt. He's not Adam. Don't treat him like he is._

"So what, we're just gonna go on a nice, long walk to the outskirts of the gorge?" Yang inquired curiously.

"It's won't be a pleasure cruise, if that's what you're wondering." Hansel told them. "We land, walk for a bit until I find a place good enough to set up camp, and then you guys go to work in clearing out the Grimm so we have a nice, safe place to rest and train."

Everyone felt the airship lift off the ground. They were about to be in the air. "So, what's in the bag, sir?" Weiss asked curiously, taking note of her much smaller travel pack.

"Food, food, food and more food," Hansel replied, making everyone's mouths drop open in disbelief. "Also some extra clothes, some binoculars so I can watch you all closely while you're in the field, and some stuff for me to take notes on while I'm training you guys."

Everyone looked at the travel pack. "Sir, why do you have so much food, we're only going be out in the field for a few days." Blake pointed out.

Hansel shrugged. "Look, my Semblance has a bit of a side effect. I burn off a shit ton of calories, so I need to eat a lot."

"Think of it as having a high metabolism from playing a lot of sports…multiplied by ten." Hansel explained.

"And the box?" Weiss inquired curiously.

"A heating box." Hansel replied. "That's for lunch. I wanted a little something special for the occasion. Something to keep me occupied while you guys are hunting Grimm."

"What's in the box?" Ruby asked.

"Uh, my lunch." Hansel replied, as though that were obvious.

"Yeah, but what's in the box?"

"My lunch." Hansel replied again, clearly not interested in telling Ruby just what was in the box.

"Anyway," Hansel continued, reaching into his travel pack, "speaking of food, I think it's time for a little breakfast."

Hansel took out a cup of ready-to-eat ramen. "A bit unorthodox," he admitted, "I'd much prefer some eggs or pancakes for breakfast, but you really can't be too picky when you're out in the field. This isn't even my favorite thing to eat."

Hansel opened the cup of noodles, took a fork out of said cup and began chowing down on his breakfast. "The problem with these instantly ready noodles though is that they're not as filling as the stuff Glynda used to cook." He noted. "You get the essential nutrients, yeah, but it's pointless if you're just going to be hungry again. Meals should be nutritious and filling at the same time. A good balance of the carbs to fill you up, and the nutrients to make you strong."

 _Are we really getting a food lesson from him?_ Weiss, Blake and Yang looked at him in surprise.

"I…didn't realize you were so passionate about food, sir." Blake admitted.

"Oh? Well, you learn something new every day." Hansel shrugged.

"Wait, so Professor Goodwitch cooks for you?" Yang asked.

"All that, and that's what you get?" Hansel looked at Yang in surprise. "Well, to answer your question, she used to cook for me, back when I lived and trained at Beacon."

"You were a student?" Weiss was surprised. "What kind of student got that kind of treatment from one of the faculty?"

"Sort of," Hansel shrugged, "I was…well, my living status at Beacon was complicated, to say the least."

"Why is that?" Ruby asked, still very curious about her teacher's past. "I mean, I know you were like Professor Ozpin's apprentice, but…"

"I lived at Beacon for seven years, since I was ten." Hansel explained. "Then, I went out into the field on my own for a bit, and then, a year later, Professor Ozpin calls me back to train you guys."

"But, Glynda doesn't cook for me now, in case you're wondering." Hansel changed the subject back to food. "I cook for myself, nowadays."

"You cook?" Yang was surprised.

"Is that a problem?" Hansel frowned.

"No…you're just not really the type to stand in front of a stove with an apron on." Yang pointed out.

 _For crying out loud,_ Hansel groaned inwardly, _why can't I just find a way out of this conversation already? Everything they ask me just compels me to answer them._

For the first time in a long time, Hansel found himself frustrated at Glynda drilling him on manners. If someone asks you a question about yourself, as long as you are comfortable talking about it, you answer it politely.

Yang grinned teasingly. "Who knew the big bad Teach had a more domestic side to him."

"Okay, Yang, I think that's enough." Once again, Blake cut in to stop her partner and best friend from saying too much and pissing off their teacher.

The group sat in awkward silence for a while, while conversations stirred in the back of the airship between Team RWBY's classmates. Ruby then cleared her throat, curious about something, making Hansel groan inwardly.

 _Damn it, I just want two hours of peace and quiet._

"Yeah, Rose?" Hansel asked, barely skipping a beat on devouring the noodles in front of him.

"So, did you ever figure out what you wanted us to do after we set up camp?" Ruby asked curiously.

Hansel sighed. Of all the questions she had to ask, it was the one he would have to give a long winded answer to. "For starters, we're going to push your Semblances to their absolute limit." He revealed. "When I was training under Professor Ozpin, he had a very simple method: one should push the body first, and then most of the time, the Semblance should follow suit."

"I never realized that Professor Ozpin was such a taskmaster." Weiss admitted.

Hansel gave Weiss a confused look. "Isn't he still launching you first years into the Emerald Forest?"

At that moment, the members of Team RWBY shuddered simultaneously. It should not surprise any of them that Ozpin was such a taskmaster.

"Anyway, I wanted to be strong." Hansel shrugged. "And the professor had only one way to make me strong, in the way I just mentioned. Glynda yelled at him on more than one occasion if she felt he was going too far."

"I should warn you guys. You're gonna be sore. You're probably gonna hurt a little. But I need you to trust me when I say you're going to be stronger from the experience."

Yang grinned. "Well, I still think you were full of crap when you said I needed the most work."

"Really? Good to know, Xiao Long, because I plan to find out just how much pain you can convert to power before you pass out." Hansel flatly told her. "Hope you like torture."

The blonde went pale at that statement. "Kidding," Hansel said flatly, "but that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. You're probably going to be taking in a lot more power in that meter of yours than you're used to, so get ready."

"And afterwards?" Blake inquired curiously. "We can't possibly be spending the entire time driving ourselves into the ground."

"Well, if you must know." Hansel really just wanted to relax. "This is just as much a learning experience for me as it is for you guys. I want to find out just what I can expect you to improve in, and what will always be a weakness of yours."

"Huh?" Weiss was surprised. "Then all those weaknesses you pointed out to us…"

"Do need to be addressed," Hansel admitted, "however, there are certain things we'll always be better at than others."

"Take me for example. I'll be the first to admit it. I'm no strategist. My 'strategies' boil down to two things: attack and instinct."

"I can get away with that because of how much I've honed my body though." Hansel admitted. "I didn't get better at my weakness. I just covered them up with my strengths."

"Well, why don't we just cover up our weaknesses with our strengths?" Yang asked curiously.

"Because frankly, putting in the effort to overcome and improve on those weaknesses is a better long-term plan." Hansel admitted. "Look, I'm in damn good shape. I'm faster and stronger than quite a few veterans. I fight by overwhelming people, keeping them off rhythm. However, what if someone manages to keep pace with me? What if they manage to find a rhythm in the fight?"

"You're screwed." Yang noted.

Hansel nodded. "You saw it in my sparring match with Professor Ozpin. As soon as he got into his rhythm, it was over. I had no answer for him."

"No matter how clever I am with my Semblance's applications, how fast, strong, or aggressive I am, if someone manages to keep to their own rhythm in a fight, they can find a way to beat me." Hansel freely admitted.

"So you want us to…be better?" Blake asked curiously.

"That is one way to look at it." Hansel shrugged. "But here's a fact: not everyone's going to be able to beat their weaknesses. For all we know, Rose may never be an effective hand to hand fighter."

"Well, I'm trying." Ruby noted.

"Or, perhaps Belladonna will never be able to make clones that will help her fight." Hansel noted.

"When that happens, you need to instead make it a point to make your strengths so powerful, that it takes a very strong opponent to exploit your weaknesses." Hansel told them. "But make no mistake, some of you need to try and beat your weaknesses first."

"Xiao Long definitely needs to fight more conservatively and build up her 'meter' gradually. Schnee needs to be able to summon fully. Belladonna needs to consciously push herself and improve her Semblance. And Rose needs to at least be able to fight well enough with her fists that she can push her foes back and get her scythe back."

For a guy who claimed to be bad at strategy, Hansel had a tremendous understanding of one's weaknesses. Then again, one did not need to be a good strategist to understand weaknesses. He just needed to know them and then exploit them.

"Consciously, Professor?" Blake asked in confusion, not understanding his criticism of her. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not holding your hand through everything, Belladonna. You need to figure this one out yourself." Hansel told her.

"So then this trip is also about finding out what kind of fighters we're going to be? The balanced kind, or the kind that covers up our weaknesses with tremendous skills in other areas; a specialist." Weiss realized.

Hansel nodded, noting that his cup of noodles was empty. He sighed and quickly got another cup ready. "Exactly," he said, not missing a beat as usual, "it's kinda like I said when I was talking about how Scarlatina's actually the strongest in your class. Different methods work for different people, and different things make different people stronger."

"The reason Professor Ozpin trained me by encouraging me to push past my own limits was because that was what worked for me. I wanted power, so he showed me how to seize it. If the professor had someone like Rose as his apprentice instead of me, it's likely he would've taken a vastly different approach to her training." Hansel explained.

Ruby nodded in understanding. "So yeah," Hansel said, "we're going to use this trip to figure out how to make you all semi-decent Huntsmen. Then maybe, just maybe, you can graduate to decent."

 _If I can just wear them out and keep them occupied, they'll stay out of my way when I go after Corleone._ Hansel noted to himself.

Hansel then gazed behind his seat to check on the rest of his students. _Well, some of them are at least doing a good job at wearing each other out…_

Nora Valkyrie was one such person, as evidenced by her loud and boisterous singing. "Ninety-nine waffles and sap on the wall, ninety-nine waffles and sap! If one of those waffles should happen to fall, ninety-eight waffles and sap on the wall!"

Ren was quick to interrupt her. "Wouldn't the waffles be too dirty by then?"

Nora smiled. "Silly Ren! Five-second rule, remember?"

Ren sighed, knowing that would be her answer. In front of Ren and Nora were Jaune and Pyrrha, and unfortunately, Jaune was going through a very familiar issue. Five minutes after the engines launched, it all came back to him so rather suddenly: the short breath, the dizziness, the drowsiness, the pallor, and a particularly familiar _nausea_.

 _Oh boy, here we go again ,_ thought Jaune Arc, who was attempting to steady himself.

 _At least I came prepared with spare garbage bags this time,_ he reflected, looking down to check that they were still in his backpack.

No matter how many times Jaune went on an airship, this was one of the constants of life that would never get any easier for him. Vomit Boy was about to make a triumphant return.

Or so he thought.

Because as soon as he was about to resign himself to vomit-filled sadness, a certain redheaded partner came to the rescue.

"Jaune, get yourself into posture," instructed Pyrrha.

"On-the-spot training? Not sure if this is the right time or place for-"

"A _different_ kind of training for your more _immediate_ problem," corrected Pyrrha, "Now, do you trust me?"

"In a heartbeat," he replied, while (densely) not realizing what sort of heartbeat he was instilling in the (slightly) blushing Pyrrha.

Noticing Pyrrha's blush, Jaune inquired, "Oh my goodness, is the airship making you feel feverish too? I've brought more than enough garbage bags for the both of us in case-"

Pyrrha raised her hand to cut him off. She wasn't quite sure whether to feel heart-warmed by his dorky generosity, or frustrated by his (usual) denseness.

"I'm fine, Jaune," replied Pyrrha, "But we should really get back on topic, especially with regards to the new training."

"Right, something about getting a proper posture."

A pause between the two took hold for a moment, and then…

Jaune turned his head in confusion. "So um, where do we start?"

"We'll start with a demonstration from my end," reassured Pyrrha, "Spine straight, chin tucked, and look straight ahead."

She pulled off the posture with ease.

After taking a few seconds to process what he saw, it was Jaune's turn to try.

The tucked chin and the straight tunnel-vision look were easy enough for him to imitate, but Jaune's definition of straightened spine was clearly different from Pyrrha's.

And as usual, Pyrrha was quick to catch on.

"You're still in the 'slouching in the classroom' pose, Jaune," she observed, suddenly recalling all the previous times that Jaune had trouble paying attention to Oobleck's lectures.

"Aww man…I am?"

"Yes, think of your lungs as two big balloons that need to be blown up to full size." Pyrrha told him. "They can't be expected to reach full size if you're slouched over and compressing them, preventing their growth."

Pyrrha placed her hands on Jaune's chest and back and straightened him out. "Try it now." She said. "In and out, slowly."

Jaune did as asked, and as he kept following Pyrrha's instructions, he felt his nausea leave him. His eyes widened. "Thanks Pyrrha!" He exclaimed, as usual, you're a lifesaver!"

Giving a slight bow in acknowledgement, Pyrrha then admitted, "Well, I did have a good teacher."

Jaune's eyes glimmered with slight curiosity. "Oh, who was it? Port? Oobleck? Peach? Glynda? Maybe even Ozpin himself?"

"No, it was someone from my pre-Beacon days," further elaborated Pyrrha, "Considering the many high-elevation, steep wind-carved cliffs that Mistral has, growing up there meant that I had to learn to adapt against altitude sickness."

"From a personal trainer who helped you win the Mistral Regional Tournaments?" guessed Jaune.

"If by 'personal trainer,' you mean family member, then you're half-right," admitted Pyrrha, "my aunt, Circe was the one who taught me the breathing technique I just showed you recently. It's got several variations and different names depending on which kingdom you live in; but here in Mistral, we usually refer to the technique as Qigong."

The gears in Jaune's head began to turn. His eyes then widened. He recognized that name. "Circe? As in Circe Ithaca, the current top candidate for Remnant Digest's 'Woman of the Year' award?"

Though Pyrrha was surprised (and pleased) to learn that Jaune was gradually expanding his reading tastes beyond comic books, she kept the conversation on track.

Pyrrha nodded to confirm Jaune's question. "Yep, that's the Circe I'm talking about. How did you know?"

"While studying for Oobleck's latest homework, I stumbled across several magazine pages supporting Circe's nomination," explained Jaune, "I'm not sure if I understood all the big words and events involved in the articles, but it's clear that she's made quite a name for herself."

Pyrrha smiled in response. "That's Aunt Circe for you. Point a worthy enough noble cause in her direction, and she'll always find a way to successfully promote it. She's widely regarded as one of Remnant's finest philanthropists and savviest politicians; that combination makes her infallible. I feel proud to have been raised by her."

"Raised by her?" repeated Jaune, "Wait, so what happened to your parents?"

Realizing her slip of the tongue, Pyrrha briefly considered changing the subject before ultimately deciding to once again trust Jaune. "They died when I was young," she slowly explained, "I don't have many memories of them, just stories they used to read to me before bed. Anyway, with Aunt Circe being the only listed name on the emergency contact form, she adopted me into her household. It's just been us, ever since."

Jaune stepped back briefly, having now realized that he awkwardly struck a sore point. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry Pyrrha! If you don't want to talk about it anymore, then-"

"No, it's okay!" reassured Pyrrha, who put her hands on Jaune's shoulder, as if gesturing him to come back. "It's actually quite a relief to get this off my chest, really. I appreciate that you care enough to ask and listen."

Moving closer (thus reciprocating the gesture), Jaune nodded in response. "If you say so, Pyrrha."

"I can't bring my parents back," Pyrrha admitted while holding back her tears, "But I still plan on doing my best to live up to their examples and Aunt Circe's example at making the world a better place."

"And you won't have to do it alone," reminded Jaune, "It's like what I said earlier, Team JNPR is here for you if you need us."

Pyrrha smiled gratefully and rested her head on Jaune's shoulder. "You have no idea how much that means to me. Nor do you have any idea how much confidence I really have in you, Jaune." She told him.

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked.

Pyrrha placed a hand on his heart. "This right here is why." She told him. "You're kind, Jaune, incredibly kind. Frankly, the world needs Huntsmen like you, more than they need ones like me."

"Well…why not give them both?" Jaune suggested.

"…Yes, I guess that's an option too." Pyrrha admitted. "But seriously, Jaune…promise me you won't ever lose that kindness of yours, even if it means throwing away the strength you want."

"Because that kindness makes you wonderful, and if you lost it, then the world will have lost something truly wonderful."

Jaune was speechless. He honestly could not believe Pyrrha thought that highly of him. Meanwhile, behind Jaune and Ren, Nora was giving a big shit-eating grin. "Yep, still shipping it." She whispered.

Ren shook his head. "Nora…" he groaned.

Finally, Cardin Winchester took a deep breath and addressed the focus of much of his bullying. "Hey, Rabbit," he said to Velvet Scarlatina.

Velvet winced at Cardin's voice while Coco, Fox and even the normally peaceful and serene Yatsuhashi instinctively glared at Cardin, ready to come to Velvet's defense if he tried anything. "What do you want, Winchester?" Coco demanded.

"Cool your jets, Adel, I come in peace." Cardin assured her.

Cardin looked at Velvet, who was refusing to look him in the eye. Cardin sighed, expecting that. It was time to take a page out of his teacher's book and be the bigger man. "Look…I just wanted you to know that…I saw videos of you and Schnee destroying those Atlesian Paladins…and I thought you looked…pretty cool."

Velvet looked at Cardin in surprise. Coco lowered her sunglasses, curious of Cardin's statement. Cardin sighed. "That's…all I wanted to say." He said, looking away from Velvet.

"Cardin…what was that all about?" Russell Thrush asked curiously.

"Just…been doing a lot of thinking, okay?" Cardin responded in a sharp tone that left no room for continued conversation.

 _Thinking that…I don't want to die being remembered as a total bastard._ Cardin thought to himself. _I'm an asshole, but I'm not a bastard. If Professor Sunshine can be a big enough man to apologize and try not to be one hundred percent a dick…then maybe I should try the same._

And so, the airship continued its travel for the next several hours. And soon, they were several miles away from the Neverland Gorge and landing. And as soon as the plane landed, Hansel was out of his seat and clapping his hands. "Okay, no dawdling!" He ordered. "I refuse to burn daylight here, and you should too!"

Hansel walked up to the pilot. "Make sure the folks at the airfield are reminded that we expect to be picked up in the time period I told them when I set this whole thing up, got it?"

"You got it, boss." The pilot said.

With that, everyone was quick to get out of their seats, grab their things, and follow Hansel out of the airship. Here, everyone got a good look at the area out before them. At the very end of their journey straight ahead was a narrow valley beyond the forest with steep rocky walls surrounding the valley, and what appeared to be a small stream running through.

Blake Belladonna spoke up. "Sir…could we maybe go fishing later?" She asked nervously.

"Huh?" Hansel gave Blake a deadpan expression.

 _You can't be serious._ Hansel could not believe what he was hearing. _You are not doing yourself any favors by being a walking stereotype, Belladonna._

Hansel regained his composure and shook his head. "Let me make something clear, Belladonna." He said. "You are all forbidden from going anywhere near the Neverland Gorge. Even veteran Huntsmen don't go near that place."

"No…" Blake whined softly.

"Now listen up," Hansel said, "I hope you all brought good walking shoes, because this is going to be one hell of a hike. And I also hope you brought plenty of good food, because I can promise you, there won't be many wild animals here. With Grimm roaming about, most animals live in farmlands nowadays. That means no hunting."

"And for God's sake, do not just go and pick random berries up. That's another reason why I had you pack your own damn food. You don't know what's poisoned and what isn't. If I find one of you foaming at the mouth from eating poisonous berries, I'm going to be pissed."

"You'll save us though, right, sir?" Jaune asked.

"I'll think about it." Hansel growled, though there was no seriousness in that statement. "Now let's move. I want to find a good spot to camp before lunch."

And so, the long hike began to find a good spot to camp. Hansel led the way, cutting through thick bushes with his katana. "Okay," Hansel suddenly spoke up to pass the time, "pop quiz, right now!"

"Wait, what?" Cardin was surprised at this.

"Winchester, thank you for volunteering." Hansel said. "Now, you're confronted by someone who has a more maneuverable weapon, like a sword. Against your mace, which is heavier and lacks that maneuverability, you are at a disadvantage. What do you do?"

Cardin stammered at this while Ruby smiled at Hansel's latest pop quiz. This had become a thing as well ever since he had worked to improve himself as a teacher. Hansel gave specified pop quizzes to each of his students. Each student got one question to answer that was geared towards their current combat specs.

Cardin then got his answer out, much to Hansel's displeasure. "Wrong answer," he said, "when you lack maneuverability, you can't afford to go on the offensive. One false move, and you are at the mercy of a much nimbler opponent. You instead remain on the defensive and wait for your own opening. To improve your maneuverability, use two hands on that mace to steady yourself. Just remember that you risk leaving yourself open to punches and kicks."

"Belladonna, you are next." Hansel immediately moved onto the faunus girl.

This continued on for a few hours as Hansel made sure to take his students through every square inch of the forest in order to find the perfect camping spot. Eventually, they reached a small clearing, where Hansel held up his hand, forcing his students to a stop. "We'll make camp here." He said. "I don't think I need to tell any of you to keep your hormones under control when we're all trying to get some sleep. This is a class trip, not a lovers' rendezvous. And trust me, lovers' rendezvous' never end well in worlds like this. Ever seen _Nightmare on Almond Street_? Every single movie in that series has two people dying because they can't keep it in their pants."

"Sir…that's just a movie." Velvet pointed out. "A scary movie, yes, but a movie."

"And do you really think that the world we live in isn't a living horror movie?" Hansel asked.

"…Fair enough," Velvet said simply.

"I've never seen _Nightmare on Almond Street_ ," Ruby said to Jaune, "is it scary?"

"Umm…I have to watch it through my fingers." Jaune admitted, leaving it at that.

Ruby got the hint and shuddered at how scary the movie must be. "I'll give you two minutes to drop your things. After that, you're going hunting and clearing a perimeter so no Grimm are stupid enough to come anywhere near here."

"But let me reiterate," Hansel sat down in the middle of the clearing, dropping his heating box next to him and taking out a pair of binoculars from his bag. "None of you are going anywhere near the gorge. If I see anyone close to the gorge, you're in trouble. I'll just leave it at that."

At that moment, the group heard the telltale growling and hissing of Grimm. They had been lucky throughout the hike, but now, as soon as they stopped to put their things down, their mortal foes had arrived.

Hansel smirked. "Well would you look at that," he said, "the welcoming committee has arrived."

"Are we surrounded?!" Jaune shrieked.

"If we are surrounded, that just makes things better." Hansel reached into the box and revealed just what was inside, an entire pepperoni pizza, compliments of Pleasure Island Pizza, the best pizza in all of Vale. "The Huntsman's life is one of adversity. Better get used to it now rather than later."

"The Huntsmen Academies are supposed to put its students through the wringer to prepare folks like you for that life." Hansel reminded them. "So show the world that you can survive the wringer. Me? I'm going to sit right here and eat this whole pizza. It is lunchtime."

 _That looks delicious._ Several students lamented.

"Good hunting everyone," Hansel said to them as his students broke off to hunt Grimm.

And so, the class went hunting, with Hansel Kobalt observing them all through his binoculars while munching on pizza. He started by watching Team CRDL team up to take on a small pack of Beowolves. "They're still far behind their classmates in terms of single combat. But as a team, they're solid. They can all soak up damage for each other with those tough bodies."

Hansel watched as Dove Bronzewing, knocked a Beowolf away from Russel Thrush. Sky Lark then stabbed the Beowolf in the throat. Cardin then slammed another Beowolf in the head with his mace.

"They're tanks," Hansel noted, "they're biggest strength is their durability. It's a far cry from some of the stuff I found on their files. They've come a long way from the guys who got stomped by Nikos in a 4-on-1 fight."

"Still, we need to toughen them up to stand on their own. They need to be prepared for solo missions. Academy teams don't always stick together." Hansel watched as Dove and Sky pushed a Beowolf back with Russel leaping up and decapitating it. "Still, they don't have zero potential. That's good at least."

Hansel then looked for other students. He caught Fox Alistair speeding about, knocking out more Beowolves with his arm-blades, singlehandedly cutting down each one with a single attack. "Alistair's fast, he arguably has the best natural speed in his entire class. The guy can cut you down before you even notice him coming, why he wasn't in the doubles round in the Vytal Festival, I have no idea. I guess Adel and Daichi wrongfully thought focusing on heavy firepower would've been better."

"Or perhaps Alistair is very fragile in battle." Hansel speculated. "Typically, people who focus on speed neglect their durability. After all, why soak up a hit when you can just dodge it?"

"Two perfectly valid schools of thought, but we'll definitely look into improving Alistair's durability, because there's always the chance you'll run into an enemy that's quicker than you. And if that doesn't work, we'll just make him too damn fast and nimble to tag."

Hansel then turned his attention to a different member of Team CFVY. "Yatsuhashi Daichi, the muscle of the team," Hansel noted, watching as Daichi cut through three Ursa with a single swing of that giant sword of his, "definitely the most physically powerful person in his class. Looking at his combat specs, his physical strength is off the scale for a student."

"He's already strong enough to actually send out razor winds with that big-ass sword of his." Hansel noted. "As someone who can do that myself, I can appreciate how impressive that is. And it at least gives him range."

"Still, Daichi is a big target." He noted. "And his fight with Cinder Fall's two flunkies proves that. That Mercury Black had him completely outmatched in close combat. Yatsuhashi's fast and keeps good control in spite of his size. But in his case, instead of dodging, he should've stood his ground and not tried to outpace Black to get back on the offensive."

"We'll have to work on balance with him. Daichi's a big guy, so him getting off balance would be a disaster."

"Next, Velvet Scarlatina," Hansel turned his attention to Velvet, and watched with satisfaction as Velvet singlehandedly took down an Ursa by mimicking that monkey faunus from Haven's fighting style and weapon.

"She's definitely proving I'm right about her." Hansel nodded. "And it looks like she's responded to my issues with her lack of confidence. According to her files, Scarlatina has been the victim of bullying for years, even before coming to Beacon. Her membership in Team CFVY has helped her come out of her shell, but for some reason, that was never enough."

"What she needed was for a teacher to boost her up." Hansel said. "It's one thing for your friends to believe in you but teachers are quite another. I can understand why morons from the prep schools wouldn't do it, but why the hell did no one in Beacon do so, especially when we know she has a lack of confidence from bullies?"

Hansel thought more on the matter. "Why didn't Ozpin structure Beacon's teachings in a way that would allow for more personal tutoring?" Hansel pondered, "Having a one-on-one mentor from the get-go (like I did) would've given Scarlatina the stronger backbone she sorely needs."

"That really doesn't matter anymore, we're fixing that now." Hansel said. "And now that Scarlatina is getting out more in the field, she needs to build up her endurance. I'll be sending her out and doing a ton of when we get back."

"And that leaves us with Adel, the leader of Team CFVY." Hansel turned and watched as Adel mowed down a Deathstalker with tremendous ease thanks to her mini-gun. "I was trying to figure out why she was made the leader, considering her status as the support fighter. Adel's actually a tactical genius; she knows exactly what to order Daichi, Alistair and Adel to do."

"But, looking back at Adel and Daichi's fight with Sustrai and Black, they were outmaneuvered. Adel had no answer for any of Sustrai's attacks. She dodged, but she could barely fight back. Without that mini-gun of her's, she's—for lack of a better term—useless in a fight. Perhaps I should get her involved in the hand-to-hand lessons that Rose is gonna get?"

"Overall, Team CFVY is a better balanced team than I gave them credit for." Hansel noted. "As a team, they've got all their bases covered. However, with the exception of Alistair, they all have maneuverability issues. Black and Sustrai could've outpaced every single one of them in that doubles match. To be fair, those two weren't students, but it's an issue that they need to deal with before they run into another gruesome twosome like them."

"Next up, Team JNPR." Hansel started by gazing at Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune Arc. Pyrrha seemed to be hanging back while Jaune cut an Ursa across the stomach, felling it.

"Well, what do you know, Arc doesn't have zero potential either." Hansel noted. "Whatever Nikos is teaching him, she should keep at it. Who knows, maybe I can get away with having her sub for me?"

Hansel paused for a moment, considering the consequences. Knowing Glynda, she would probably scold him for "looking for sneaky excuses to skip teaching duties." Then again, she could also praise him for "making the effort to give his students leadership opportunities."

"Yeah…maybe I should ask for Professor Ozpin's permission first." Hansel decided.

"Anyway, Arc's files noted his tremendous amount of Aura, ever since Nikos unlocked it." Hansel remembered. "In fact, he's arguably got the highest amount of Aura in his class. Of the other students who even come close to him, Schnee and Daichi are probably the closest. Although Schnee's Aura has barely been tapped into yet. Xiao Long's varies because of her unique ability. Rose has a ton that hasn't been tapped into yet because her…special powers. But Arc's so damn behind in everything else. All that Aura stored up in some kid with motion sickness. Seems almost like a crime."

"Still, he took down that Ursa exactly like a pro would. A slash at the biggest target on the body, the center of mass. That's always the best way to start." Hansel could not help but compliment.

"As for Nikos, she's every bit the champion of Sanctum Academy she's advertised." Hansel noted. "A great control of her Aura, and speed and reflexes that might even put me on guard. I'd actually have to try a bit if I sparred with her. And I've been getting reports from the other teachers that she's taking my lessons to heart, and staying in the arena to lift heavier masses with her Semblance. Nice to know she responds well to commands."

"But she hasn't made any efforts to manifest the Fall Maiden's powers." Hansel noted. "That makes things a bit difficult for me since her being the new Fall Maiden was one of the reasons I was brought aboard. Perhaps she's nervous? Perhaps she's scared? Either way, that's not gonna fly forever. Her mental tests noted a sort of shyness, an inability to connect with others. Later tests actually praised the pairing of Arc and Nikos for bringing her out of her shell. Perhaps she's struggling because she's treating this whole merging of the souls thing as connecting with a new friend?"

"Either way, I need to find a way to get her comfortable with her new powers. Huntsmen that have her kind of struggles tend to have short lifespans." Hansel grimly pointed out. "I suppose I could start by sparring with her to try and force her to tap into the power. Last time I sparred with a student though, it didn't go well for either of us."

Hansel sighed. "I'll have to table those thoughts for later. Maybe I'll ask the professor if he has any advice."

"Next, Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren," Hansel gazed at the two, working together to take down more Beowolves, "an excellent combination of power and speed together."

"Ren's had to train his body up more to compensate for the fact that his Semblance right now is not very useful in a fight, only when you want to avoid confronting Grimm. That's why I want him to try and evolve his Semblance into a power that can actually help him in a fight."

"Valkyrie's the same, except her Semblance is useful in a fight…as long as someone is dumb enough to hit her with electricity, or she's working with a partner who uses electric dust. Both of them have worked hard to compensate for these limitations, I'll give them that. But now I want to see if we can make those Semblances of their's more applicable in a fight."

"Not only that, but from what I can tell from the past week, Ren's got something of a durability issue, and Valkyrie's got a balance issue because of that hammer of her's. Valkyrie lost a sparring match with Rose for that reason and Ren was completely outmatched against Daichi because Daichi beat him out in endurance."

"Anyway, it's showing here. Ren sometimes slows down a bit after exerting himself. When that happens, Valkyrie picks up the slack. And Valkyrie's got a window of opportunity where she's wide open due to a lack of a balance or the recoil of swinging that hammer of her's. There, Ren picks up the slack by attacking at high speeds. We'll have to get back to the basics in form for Valkyrie, and train Ren to build up his body a bit more."

"And that leaves us with Professor Ozpin's favorite team. Team RWBY." Hansel turned his attention to his last four students.

Yang Xiao Long roared with her eyes shining red as she wailed on a large Ursa. "Yang Xiao Long," Hansel remembered her file, taking a look at his scroll for reference, "trained by her father, a teacher at Signal Academy. Much of her fighting style is apparently a more aggressive version of her old man's."

"She's a hard hitter that can take it as well as she can dish it out." Hansel noted. "It's no wonder the other members of Team RWBY chose her to duke it out in the singles round."

"But she's got a bit too much pride." Hansel noted. "It looks like she hasn't really taken my advice to heart yet. She's leaving too many openings. An unintelligent beast like a Grimm can't take advantage of those openings, but people can. Eventually, she's going to run into someone like Adam Taurus, who's going to take advantage of those openings."

"Xiao Long's got a lot of confidence, and stubbornness. Is it a familial thing? Qrow is the same way."

Hansel heaved a sigh. "That's another one I'll need to go to Professor Ozpin for advice on. Actually, talking to Glynda about this might be better…dealing with a stubborn girl like Xiao Long needs a woman's touch. I just don't know how to deal with people like Xiao Long without humbling them through a beatdown…that didn't fly with Rose, and it shouldn't with her."

Hansel then turned his attention to Belladonna. He watched as two Beowolves attempted to pounce on Blake, only to instead cut a clone into three pieces. Then, Hansel watched as the clones burst into flames and exploded, destroying both Beowolves in the process. "Blake Belladonna, a secret faunus, skilled swordsman, who is skilled in the use of her Semblance."

"Belladonna uses her Semblance for misdirection the way I want Ren to eventually use his Semblance." He noted. "She's not as heavy a hitter as Xiao Long, but I honestly would've picked her for the singles round in the Vytal Festival, and not Xiao Long. Black wouldn't have been able to gain any momentum had Belladonna focused on tricking him with her shadow clones."

Hansel sighed. "However, she's not durable at all. She relies on avoiding hits with her Semblance, but if she takes one or two solid hits, she's down for the count. I noticed as much when I had her and Nikos spar earlier. Nikos tripped her up with her Semblance, slammed that shield into her stomach, and that was it. We'll have to work to build up her endurance."

Next, the Schnee Heiress, singlehandedly taking down an Ursa like Yang. "Weiss Schnee, second daughter of Jacques Schnee and younger sister of Atlas Military Specialist Winter Schnee." Hansel noted, munching on more of his pizza. "She definitely had all the best combat teachers growing up. Maybe there is a benefit to being rich."

"Arguably, she's the most well-balanced member. Good speed that's amplified by her glyphs, powerful attacks, and an ability to put up a strong defense when she needs to." Hansel complimented.

"However, she's also arguably the weakest because of how little she's actually tapped into her abilities." Hansel bluntly pointed out. "The reality is, Schnee is like the sickly child on the playground that tries to play dodgeball with the other kids. She's behind, and that's going to catch up with her."

"She can take a hit better than I gave her credit for though," Hansel noted, "that fight with Team FNKI was impressive. However, because she's tapped into so little of her power, she has even less Aura then her teammates right now. It probably goes—from least to most—Schnee, Rose, Belladonna, and then Xiao Long."

"And because of how little Aura she has, that means she can't take too many heavy hits." Hansel noted. "What is up with this class and their lack of endurance? They're just students, yeah, but it's still a bit disturbing."

"And finally, our Silver-Eyed pet project, Ruby Rose." Hansel turned his attention to where Ruby was, expecting to see her clashing with one or two Grimm. Then, much to his surprise, he was treated to the sight of Ruby Rose ripping through a line of Beowolves with deadly speed. His mouth dropped open, he found himself unable to eat his current piece of pizza.

"Holy shit…" he muttered in shock.

"…Okay, new notes on her. She's more of a threat against large groups than one on one fights. Hell, once she gets into it…she's actually unstoppable." Hansel could not believe what he was seeing. "It's like she's a completely different fighter now. Where was this during our sparring match? If this was the opponent I had gotten I'd have been screwed."

Hansel then got over his awe and shook his head. "Shit, Hansel, don't let yourself get stars in your eyes." He criticized himself. "There's a reason for this."

"Rose's fighting style is more suited for fighting groups. Her speed and use of momentum is perfect for catching large groups off guard. When you fight against groups the way she does, there's no way to track her and attack her without risking catching your allies in the crossfire."

"That doesn't work in one on one fights because her opponent can track her easily." Hansel noted. "If she's going to fight the Queen and her cronies, she needs to be able to stand in a one on one fight. And, just as I originally thought, her fighting style entirely revolves around Crescent Rose. No scythe means no victory for her. That lack of diversity could one day make her a liability for her team."

"It looks like I'm going to have to not only help her build up a more diverse fighting style, but I'll also need her to develop a style suited for one-on-one fights as well." Hansel concluded.

Hansel shook his head. "Kinda ironic, actually, that she needs to relearn how to fight alone against a single person. The initial reports on her described her as a bit antisocial. When asked what she thought about working with others during the screening process, Rose responded: 'I don't need friends to grow up, I have milk.'"

And Hansel did not know that Ruby had repeated the same thing to her sister back then…she was definitely consistent.

"Okay," Hansel took a deep breath as he remembered all of his assessments, "so we've got durability issues and endurance issues galore, some balance issues, and plenty of other problems to work through."

"But from watching all these guys operate in the field, they definitely have potential…they just need to be prepared to be pushed even harder than they've ever been." Hansel concluded. "The sad thing is…some kind of war's coming. These students…they need to be ready…and as they are now, they're not ready. If an all-out war broke out with the Queen, the Organization, and all the other enemies of the world right now…they'd die for sure."

Hansel sighed. "I still don't know why I was picked to teach them…but just like Professor Ozpin did for me, I now have to make sure they're sent out into the world ready to survive."

Hansel reached into his box to get one more piece of pizza, only to find out they were all gone. "Damn," he cursed, "now I have nothing to eat while I'm stressing about death."

Hansel noticed they had cleared out a majority of the Grimm and nodded. _That was quicker than I expected._ He noted. _I guess I can give them a break._

"Alright, that's quite enough!" Hansel yelled, letting his voice carry across the forest. "Everyone get your asses back here!"

And so, the students of the morning Combat Class returned to their campsite, where Hansel quickly debriefed them. "Not bad," he complimented, "you all came back alive and uninjured. You passed in that regard."

"Take a break," Hansel told them, "I'm going to type up some quick reports and send them to your scrolls one by one."

"In general, you all did well, let me tell you that much. You all took down Grimm exactly like Huntsmen should. However, do note that each of you have crucial weaknesses that you need to improve on. We'll go over that soon."

"But rest up, get some drinks, get some lunch in you."

And so, the class ate their lunches, rested, recharged, and were then debriefed by Hansel about their fighting styles; their strengths; their weaknesses; everything. From there, Hansel allowed each of his students to offer ideas on how they could improve on these weaknesses, and they worked together to put together lesson plans for the next few days.

Then, that night, as the students went to sleep, Hansel left them, comfortable in the fact that they would be safe after clearing such a huge perimeter. However, he was quick to do a quick check around the perimeter, cutting down a few stragglers with ease.

He also subconsciously let out some of his Aura, along with a bit of his pent up anger to draw any Grimm that were still around to him. However, this had the added effect of waking a certain student up, who could not help but wonder why Hansel was leaving the campsite.

With that Hansel sped through the forest cutting down any Grimm that was drawn to his negative emotions. He quickly arrived at the clearing where the Neverland Gorge, where he hid in a tree to get a better look. Hansel calmly looked through his binoculars to get a good look at the operation of Don Anthonio Corleone.

He frowned when he could not see a single thing. _Damn, looks like I'm going to have to climb._ He noted, leaping from tree to tree and then reaching one of the walls of the gorge.

Hansel then began climbing up the gorge with incredible ease. Hansel noticed the moon and could not help but relax when he saw it. _The moon looks great tonight._ He whimsically noted.

Hansel continued to climb until he was well out of regular eyesight for any sentries that could be nearby. He then moved inside of the ledge, continuing his climb. Hansel looked for a ledge inside of the gorge to safely perch on, eventually finding it.

Then, he finally got a good look at Corleone's operation and narrowed his eyes. Deep below him was the twisted operation of Don Anthonio Corleone, the most powerful crime boss in all of Remnant.

"Weapons, Dust, just like the operations in Mistral." Hansel noted. "No, even worse than that. This far surpasses the number of weapons and dust they were trying to move in Mistral."

"They're preparing for war…Gray Jackal is preparing for war." And with that, Hansel came to a very chilling conclusion. "I'm looking at a nightmare in the making."


	11. Chapter 11: Kickstarted

**Chapter 11: Kickstarted**

"The key to being an effective hand to hand fighter is to not only have the strength behind your punches and kicks to actually make an impact." Hansel Kobalt explained as he avoided a punch from Yang Xiao Long. "But to also know when to attack, when to block, when to dodge, and when to endure a hit to take advantage of an opening on your enemy."

Yang gritted her teeth in frustration. It was day two, and they were now focusing on training their weaknesses. For example, Ren, Blake and Fox were now running laps around the campsite. How long? Until they could not run anymore. It was Hansel's way of improving their durability. Yang, meanwhile, was in the midst of a sparring match with her professor, sans Ember Celica.

And she just could not land a hit on this guy, no matter how hard she tried? What was he made of that made him so quick and nimble? "You're getting frustrated, Xiao Long, I can see it in your eyes." Hansel told her. "You'll never land a hit on me if you're just throwing punches for the sake of it. And you're certainly not going to land a hit on me if you're not even focused"

Yang ignored Hansel and focused on attacking until she landed a hit on him. But Hansel was fast. She could now see why Ruby had so much trouble against him, and he was not even taking her seriously here. Here, he was actually attempting to teach her something.

"Dodge!" Hansel, yelled, delivering a palm strike to Yang's stomach that sent her stumbling back.

Yang recovered and tried to attack Hansel again. Hansel rolled his eyes and avoided each of her attacks with ease. _That single attack increased her strength. The problem is, all that power means nothing if she can't even hit her opponents._

"Dodge!" Hansel yelled again, throwing a punch at Yang's arm that made the Xiao Long wince in pain.

Her eyes turned red at this. Hansel narrowed his eyes. "Xiao Long, I know your ears are working properly." He said. "When I tell you to dodge, that means you try to dodge my attacks, do you understand me?"

Yang glared at Hansel. "Now, dodge!" Hansel yelled yet again, punching Yang in the stomach.

Yang grunted and returned her ferocious glare and Hansel. "Do you actually expect me to dodge these?" She asked. "You're kind of fast you know."

"I do, because I'm telegraphing these attacks like you wouldn't believe." Hansel reminded her. "I am giving you every opportunity to dodge my attacks. You're just choosing not to dodge. Whatever blows you take in this is all on you."

Yang ignored Hansel and threw one last punch at him, hoping to at least get one decent shot in. Hansel sighed, deciding to end the match. He spun 180 degrees, avoided Yang's punch, grabbed her wrist and then threw her over his shoulders.

Yang yelled in surprise as she hit her back on the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Hansel turned away from her. "Okay, that's enough." He said in a tone that left no room for arguments. "Xiao Long, I know your method of fighting as worked for you before, but I can promise you, it won't forever. At least consider taking my advice."

Yang groaned. "You really know how to talk to girls, don't you." She said in a biting, sarcastic tone. "And you certainly know how to treat 'em, too."

Hansel rolled his eyes. "If you've got the energy to make comments like that, then you can listen to what I have to say. When I tell you that you need to learn to dodge your opponents attacks instead of just soaking up the damage like a sponge, I tell you that because you dying wouldn't exactly do anyone any good."

"It's not like you're bad at hand-to-hand combat. At least you didn't try to kick me in my…other sword." Hansel noted, glaring at Coco, who simply stood there and whistled with a sheepish look on her face. "Of course, in a fight for survival, that's definitely a valid strategy. There aren't too many rules in a fight for survival…just try to keep in mind that if a male opponent doesn't flinch _too_ much from a kick to the crotch, he's not going to be very appreciative of that gesture."

"Alright, get up," Hansel said, "I've got one other person to go hand to hand with."

Hansel then turned his attention to Ruby. "Okay, Rose, you and me, right now."

Ruby let out an eep, a bit intimidated at the thought of facing off against her professor again after that disastrous first day of theirs. Hansel, to his credit, knew that Ruby would be a bit uncomfortable facing him in a spar again. He took a deep breath and tried to speak to her as gently as he could manage to ease her concerns.

"It's gonna be alright, Rose." He promised her. "We'll take this nice and slow. You don't normally fight hand to hand, so we'll go at a pace your comfortable with. We'll speed things up and slow things down whenever you feel overwhelmed."

 _No fair, where was that offer when I was getting the crap beaten out of me?_ Yang complained.

Ruby seemed reassured by Hansel's statement and stepped into the makeshift ring they had formed at the campsite. She looked around, noting that Team CRDL, Yatsuhashi, Jaune, and Nora were all practicing with their weapons, focusing particularly on their stances and balance, as that had been Hansel's biggest criticism of each of them. Between that and Blake, Ren and Fox running laps, that left Weiss, Velvet, Coco, Jaune, Yang, and Pyrrha to watch this sparring match.

Hansel stood patiently in the dead center, waiting for Ruby to make her move. "So, Rose, how much _do_ you know about hand-to-hand combat?" He asked curiously.

Ruby immediately geeked out without thinking as her knowledge of video games came to the forefront of her mind. "Well, I mean I've definitely picked up quite a few moves over the years!"

"Oh?" Hansel raised an eyebrow at Ruby's statement.

Ruby grinned happily. "Yeah, I'm mostly fond of the Berserker Barrage, the Forward Smash, the Spinning Pile Driver, and the Tiger Knee!"

Hansel blinked in surprise in silent disbelief before heaving a sigh. "Rose, those are video game moves. I need you to focus and return to reality here. Now, what's the extent of your _real-life_ knowledge about hand-to-hand combat."

Ruby giggled sheepishly. "Er…well, I mean, I've watched Yang fight plenty of times." Ruby pointed out. "Er…does that not mean much, considering how you just…well…"

"Don't worry about it," Hansel said, "like I said, it's not like your sister is a bad fighter to take an example from. She's just got things she can improve on, like you."

"So, can you show me what you know?" Hansel asked.

Ruby hesitated for a brief moment before giving a confident smile and put up her fists like an old-time boxer. "Alright…umm, put 'em up?" Ruby asked with tremendous uncertainty.

Hansel's face fell into a look of disbelief. "Okay…" he said. "I…guess that works."

"Alright then, Rose," Hansel got back on track, "we'll begin when you're ready."

"When I'm ready?" Ruby repeated in confusion.

Hansel nodded. "This whole thing is about helping you improve." He reminded his student. "Now don't be nervous, throw a punch and we can get started."

"Right, throw a punch. I can do that." Ruby took a deep breath. "I can do this. I can do this. I can do this!"

Ruby let out a mixture between a war cry and an adorable yell as she threw her first punch at Hansel. Only for Hansel to easily catch the punch. He gave Ruby a deadpan expression. "Rose, do you want me to be honest with you?" He asked.

"Umm…yes?"

"I think you can do much better than that." Hansel told her. "Come on, put a little more power behind your punches. If you're going to use your fists in a fight, you need to punch with everything you've got."

"Just remember, you're going for a classic boxing stance." Hansel told her, putting up a perfect boxing stance to demonstrate. "Keep your guard up whenever you're punching. Whichever fist you're not using, you keep it held up and protect your face. Watch your form, you don't want to hyperextend your arm, or you're going to hurt yourself."

Ruby nodded. "Now, hit me again, and keep doing it." Hansel ordered.

Ruby nodded and started throwing punch after punch at Hansel, who caught each punch in his hands like they were boxing pad mitts. Hansel nodded, happy to at least see Ruby keeping her guard up with every punch. "Good, Rose," he said, "keep punching. Up the pace when you're ready."

Ruby nodded and kept throwing punches at Hansel like she was a boxer in training. _This actually isn't so bad. I can't believe I thought this was useless._ She thought, her confidence rising. _It's kind of a rush to fight like this. It's so up close and personal, no wonder Yang likes it this way._

Hansel noticed that Ruby was starting to up the pace. Her punches were becoming faster. Hansel gazed at her arms in particular and could not help but feel impressed at the sight. _Her form's almost spot on. I guess all those years of watching her sister fight did rub off on her._

Hansel instinctively sped up his blocks. "Not bad, Rose," he said, "you catch on quick."

"Thanks a lot, Professor." Ruby smiled. "This boxer's stance does give me a bit of confidence. One fist up and a jab with the other! Float like a butterfly, sting like a tougher butterfly!"

"That's…not the saying, but that'll work." Hansel said before smirking. "Now, why don't I up the pace?"

"Wait what?" Ruby paled.

"Dodge!" Hansel threw a roundhouse kick at Ruby.

"Eek!" Ruby instinctively ducked underneath the attack.

"Counter! I'm open!" Hansel ordered her.

Ruby let out an adorable eep and threw a punch at the 'open' Hansel, only for him to jump back. "Now dodge again!" Hansel threw a straight at Ruby that made her duck again.

"Counter!" Hansel ordered.

Ruby tried to punch Hansel in the stomach, only for Hansel to lead to the side and avoid the attack. Hansel grabbed Ruby's arm, pulled her close and threw a karate chop at her neck, stopping short.

"Bam, you're out cold. Next time, go for an uppercut. A straight punch can be easily avoided by moving side to side, but when I'm trapped in the middle of throwing a punch and you've ducked underneath it. You can get inside my defenses and go for one of my most vital spots, my head." Hansel told her.

"Got it." Ruby said breathlessly.

"You ready to go again?" Hansel asked.

"Yeah," Ruby nodded in determination, "I…I want to get good at punching."

Hansel nodded and let her go. "Okay," he said, "come at me again when you're ready. Watch your form, you don't want to step off balance while throwing a punch, that's a recipe for disaster."

Ruby nodded, took a few careful steps forward and began throwing straights at Hansel, making sure to keep her guard up. This time, Hansel was in a boxing pose of his own to try to better simulate a fight and because it seemed like Ruby was getting the hang of it, faster than he expected in fact.

"Good, Rose," he said, avoiding each of Ruby's jabs with ease, "remember, your scythe will be a substitute for your other fist when you're jabbing. We're just trying to get used to you defending and attacking at the same time."

Ruby nodded. "Now," Hansel continued, "dodge each of my punches. I'm not going to tell you how they're coming, just know they're coming. I want you to watch me punch, and decide for yourself how best to dodge them. Remember, you're not going to know how many there are and where they're coming from. So you need to remember to dodge in a way that keeps your balance. Try to remain stationary while dodging. That typically helps with your balance."

Ruby nodded again. With that, Hansel began throwing a flurry of punches that Ruby weaved in and out of to avoid. Yang could not help but let out cheers for her baby sister as Ruby continued to avoid Hansel's attacks. Then, Hansel threw an uppercut aimed at Ruby's chin.

Hansel narrowed his eyes, wondering if he would have to stop short, as she did not seem like she was going to avoid this one. Then, much to his surprise, Ruby instinctively backflipped and avoided the uppercut.

Ruby landed and gasped. "Oh no, I didn't stay in place!" She immediately freaked out.

Hansel shook his head. "It's fine, Rose."

"But you said to remain stationary." Ruby pointed out.

"I know what I said, but remember, the rules in a real fight are much different from training, or a sanctioned boxing match." Hansel reminded her. "You have to be willing to bend conventional wisdom if you want to stay alive. But only do that if you're confident in your ability to pull it off one hundred percent of the time. You were confident you could stick the landing, and you did."

"Well, actually, that was just instinct." Ruby sheepishly admitted.

Hansel shrugged. "Whatever," he said, "look at it this way. Now you know you can pull that off."

"Okay, Rose," Hansel said to her, "now, I want to introduce you to something different."

"Something different?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"You're learning boxing right now because if you somehow lost your scythe, you'd need some way to defend yourself. However, what I'm about to teach you can be applied while you have a scythe and while you do not." Hansel explained.

"I'm going to introduce you to the concept of kicking, and help turn you into a kick boxer." Hansel explained.

"A…kick boxer?" Ruby looked at Hansel in confusion.

Hansel nodded. "In theory, kicks are arguably stronger because the human leg is much heavier than an arm, and it derives from being close to the body's center of gravity." He explained. "Granted, you won't get many headshots in, which is why punches are useful. Typically, when you're starting out in learning kicks, you need to employ them at or near their plane of origin: the hips."

"Now, who can tell me what the biggest disadvantage of employing kicks is?" Hansel asked. "Xiao Long, can you tell me?"

"Well, kicking can leave you off balance even worse than a punch if it's done improperly." Yang replied. "Form is arguably even more important in kicking than in punching. And there's the fact you've gotta be way more flexible to pull it off."

"And that is why Rose is perfect for it." Hansel revealed.

"I am?" Ruby looked at Hansel in confusion.

Hansel nodded. "Your fighting style is speedy and almost acrobatic, like Belladonna's." Hansel explained. "And because you have that acrobatic style, you're much more flexible than Schnee, or even your sister for that matter. At this point, only Belladonna's got you beat in that regard."

"And because your hands will be occupied with your scythe most of the time, it would be beneficial to learn to use those legs for something other than speeding around."

Yang gave Hansel a deadpan expression as a thought came to her mind. "Hey, Teach," she said, "this better not be some elaborate scheme to peek up my little sister's skirt."

Hansel glared at Yang. "Xiao Long, if you imply I'm some sort of sick, perverted deviant one more time, I will make sparring with your classmates seem like a game of patty cake." He threatened. "And believe me, Professor Ozpin _will_ take my side when he hears you've been provoking me like this for your own damn amusement."

"I've only done it once." Yang pointed out. "Twice if you count that joke I made about you being surrounded by cute girls."

"And once is too many." Hansel claimed.

"Still, if you're that worried, maybe you should take your little sister on a shopping trip when we get back." Hansel added. "I mean honestly, who fights in a skirt?"

"Well, it _is_ a combat skirt, sir." Ruby pointed out.

"I don't care what it is," Hansel said, "do you want to give it a try, Rose?"

"The kickboxing…or the flashing?" Ruby asked in confusion, blushing slightly.

"Yes, the flashing," Hansel said sarcastically, "of course not, the kick boxing."

"Well, if you think it would help me get stronger, I'm definitely game to give it a shot." Ruby said eagerly.

"Good," Hansel nodded, "remember what I told you, fire your kicks from the hips. That means don't aim too high, otherwise the kick will lose its power. You'll be able to aim higher as you get stronger and more flexible. And remember to keep your non-kicking foot planted firmly into the ground or you will lose your balance."

"You got it." Ruby nodded.

"Good, then come at me again." Hansel ordered. "This time, remember to employ kicks in your attack."

Ruby nodded and ran towards Hansel, keeping her guard up. Hansel avoided and blocked all of Ruby's punches and kicks, but this time did not bother countering. He wanted Ruby to get a feel for kickboxing first before he actually fought back. "Watch your form, Rose. Watch your balance." Hansel reminded her.

Ruby nodded and pressed her assault. Yang could not help but smile. Ruby was picking up hand to hand combat quickly. Her lips then curled into a frown instead, realizing that she was part of the reason why Ruby never picked up punching and kicking until now. Yang was so good at it, and it made Ruby question if it was really worth her doing the same, because she would most likely never reach her big sister's level.

But now, here was a teacher who was taking the time to help Ruby develop a style of her own that she would not have to compare to Yang's. Yang heaved a sigh, realizing who she had to thank for this. _Thanks, Teach, I guess I owe ya one._ She concluded.

After Ruby attacked the defending Hansel for a bit longer, Hansel finally put a stop to the spar. "Enough," Hansel said, "that's enough, Rose."

Ruby stopped her assault and relaxed out of her fighting stance. "Not bad for the first time," Hansel told her, "keep at it. Eventually, we're going to employ this new kickboxing style with your Semblance."

"Really?" Ruby looked at Hansel, confused by how she could do that.

"Think about it," Hansel said to her, "if you learned to use your Semblance on only parts of your body, you could theoretically increase the speed, momentum and impact of your punches and kicks. Like I told you, if you learned to mix your Semblance with your punches and kicks, you could become quite the speedy bruiser."

Ruby got a visual of her speedily punching Cinder Fall. Her eyes widened at the visual in her mind. Cinder was surrounded by rose petals, courtesy of Ruby's Semblance. And Ruby would just appear near her and either punch her, or kick her.

"That sounds awesome." She said lowly.

Hansel nodded. He at least appreciated her love for learning and improving. Hansel then looked around and noticed that only Fox was still standing after all the laps. The people working on their form were also starting to slow down.

Nodding, Hansel clapped his hands together. "Okay, lunch break," he said, "rest up, catch your breath, get some energy back in you."

And so, the class ate a quick lunch. Shortly afterwards, Hansel got to his feet. His class was about to do the same, only for Hansel to shake his head. "None of that for now," he said, "you guys rest up for a bit longer. I'm going to go hunting for a bit."

"Umm…shouldn't we go with you if that's the case, Sir?" Blake asked curiously.

"No," Hansel shook his head, "I want you all to sit down, relax, and think about how you want to proceed with your training from where we left off. Adel, you're in charge until I get back."

Hansel vanished into the forest before anyone could say anything. Velvet then turned to Coco. "Was trying to kick the professor…there, really necessary?" She asked.

"Yes," Coco nodded without hesitation, "it was the only way for me to get a decent shot in."

"And?" Velvet gave Coco a deadpan expression.

"And what?" Coco asked.

"I know you, Coco, there was another reason you pulled that stunt." Velvet pointed out.

Coco chuckled sheepishly. "Well, I guess with all that anger and machismo, I wanted to see if the professor was compensating for something."

Ruby and all of the more sensible students in their class blushed a bright red at what Coco had been planning. "Coco, that is just gross." Velvet said, also blushing.

"Oh come on," Coco rolled her eyes dramatically, "you can't tell me some of you aren't curious. I mean, we have a teacher who's pretty darn close to our age, and is frankly, not bad to look at. Can you all seriously look at me and say none of you are curious?"

"Of course not, because such indecency will get _him_ fired and _you_ expelled." Weiss pointed out, visibly annoyed with Coco's behavior.

"And Adel, that whole compensating for something thing is a load of crap." Cardin pointed out. "It's just something us guys like to say to bring each other down if we're getting a bit too uppity around each other. Like, if a guy owned a fancy car, we'd say: 'oh, he's clearly compensating for something.' It's a jealousy thing, Adel."

"Ugh, you underclassmen are no fun. Same with you, Velvet, just because you like our teacher so much, doesn't mean he's immune to being teased."

Velvet turned even redder at that statement. "C-C-C-C-C-Coco!" Velvet stuttered in embarrassment. "I don't _like_ the professor."

"Oh don't give me that," Coco smirked, "Professor Kobalt's the first teacher to show so much confidence in you, he's our age, and beneath that permanent scowl of his, is a guy who's seriously easy on the eyes. Give me an hour with him, and I could doll him up so well, I'd probably want to take a shot with him."

"For crying out loud, Coco, he may be close to our age but he's still our teacher." Blake pointed out, a look of visible exasperation on her face. "So stop perving on him."

Coco rolled her eyes. "No fun at all," she muttered.

Ruby seemed lost in thoughts about something. She then got to her feet, grabbing Crescent Rose. "I need to go talk to the professor about something he said."

"Ruby, can it wait?" Weiss seemed perplexed by this. "Professor Kobalt told us all to stay here."

"I'm not going to go too far." Ruby promised. "I just want to talk to him about some stuff regarding our training."

"You know, Ruby, as the person left in charge, I could tell you that you're not allowed to do anything." Coco pointed out. "But, since I know you're an adorable little bundle of energy who can't sit still for too long, I'm going to allow it."

"Thanks, Coco," Ruby smiled gratefully.

With that, Ruby walked into the forest after Hansel. Weiss could not help but comment on her best friend's actions. "Ruby seems to have become even more dedicated to her training since Professor Kobalt came to Beacon. I wonder what changed."

"Maybe she's got a thing for Professor Kobalt too, and wants to impress him." Coco teased.

"Now you're just being annoying on purpose, Coco." Yang glared at the leader of Team CFVY. "Teach snuffed any chance with her after that first day of class."

Coco laughed. "Okay, okay, still, Weiss is right. Ruby's always been dedicated to becoming a Huntress, but something changed after the stuff at the Vytal Festival went down."

"Hey," Coco turned her attention to the rest of Team RWBY, "you guys practically do everything together, right? That means you were all together during the Vytal Festival. Did something happen that might've change Ruby's attitude?"

Yang sighed and shook her head. "The only thing I can think of is the fight with that Cinder. The problem is, I can't figure out any specifics because that bitch knocked Weiss and me out cold. And Blake was resting up at the evacuation zone from her injuries against that Adam."

"But I will say this," Yang admitted, "Ruby does not like to talk about that fight. I think she's really got it out for that Cinder. Not that I blame her. That woman is rotten to the core. It's weird, she's still the same Ruby I always knew, but she seems more focused now."

"She hasn't opened up to you about any of what's going through her head?" Coco was surprised.

Yang shrugged. "Ruby needs her space too," she said, "and it's not like it's having a negative impact on her yet."

"Sorry if I'm being blunt, but that seems a bit hands off for a big sister." Coco noted.

Yang shrugged. "I'm not always going to be around to protect Ruby. She needs to be able to stand on her own too."

Meanwhile, Ruby managed to catch up to Hansel with surprising ease. However, when she found him, he was not hunting Grimm. He was actually training. Ruby froze in shock and awe, watching as Hansel swung Wolf Fang with amazing speed, grace, and precision. She watched as each swing generated razor winds that tore across the ground. He was holding back just enough to avoid cutting down any trees.

Then, Ruby remembered why she was here and made her presence known. "Umm…Professor Kobalt?"

Hansel froze in place before giving Ruby a stern gaze. "Rose," he said, turning to her, "do you make it a habit of not listening to your teachers?"

"No, sir," she said, "I just…really wanted to talk about some things. Umm…weren't you supposed to be hunting Grimm?"

"I never told you how far and how long I'd be hunting." He pointed out. "And since there are none nearby, I figured I'd get some training of my own in. It's been awhile since I've gotten to practice."

"So, what do you want to talk about, Rose?" He asked curiously. "You don't have to worry, you had a good first showing in hand to hand combat. You just need to stick with the program. Maybe also watch some videos about kickboxing on the Dust Net. I can send you some if you need a good point of reference."

"Oh, it's not that, thank you though." Ruby said. "I…want to talk to you about something else."

Hansel raised an eyebrow. "Okay," he shrugged, deciding to give her a little bit of his time. "what about?"

Ruby took a deep breath as the memories from last night came rushing back. Hansel suddenly vanishing from the campsite. She stood up as late as she could, waiting for her to come back, only to fall asleep all of a sudden.

Then, her memories of talking with Ozpin came back. Her memories of the mystery woman named Salem, Cinder, their forces and her silver eyes.

"Umm, how much has Professor Ozpin told you?" Ruby asked.

Hansel looked at Ruby. Of all the questions he had been expecting to get from her, that had honestly not been one of them. He frowned, remembering how she had worded the question. "Gonna have to be a bit more specific than that, Rose." Hansel told her.

Ruby nodded. "Right, sorry," she said, "I mean…how much has Professor Ozpin told you…about Salem?"

Hansel's body tensed up at the mention of the Queen, the master of the Grimm. Ruby noticed this and her eyes widened at the implication of this. Hansel knew about Salem, and he was just as nervous about her as Ozpin was.

Hansel took a deep breath and regained his composure. He then responded to Ruby's question with a question of his own. "How much has Professor Ozpin told _you_ about Salem?" He asked curiously.

Ruby was taken aback by Hansel's response due to how unexpected it was. However, she knew who she was talking to, and decided to respond honestly. "She's the master of the Grimm, she commands them like an army. The attack during the Vytal Festival was all her, Cinder was just a puppet. Apparently she's been around for years, and she wants to destroy all life in Remnant."

Ruby shrugged. "That's…all Professor Ozpin told me." She admitted.

Hansel nodded. "Then you know the exact amount I do." He replied. "That was exactly what Professor Ozpin told me two years ago."

"Aren't you his apprentice though?" Ruby asked. "I feel like Professor Ozpin would've told you more."

Hansel shook his head. "What difference does it make? The only thing I need to know is that she's my enemy, she wants to kill everyone, and she needs to be stopped."

"Is it really that simple to you?" Ruby asked.

"What about you?" Hansel asked. "Does it really matter to you what Salem's reasons are? Who she really is? Why she's trying to kill everyone?"

"I don't know…it's just…" Ruby trailed off before sitting down at the base of a tree.

Hansel noticed Ruby's exhausted features. The girl looked like something was weighing heavily on her. "What is it, Rose?" He asked, shocking himself with his own candor and gentleness.

"I'm scared, Professor." She admitted. "I'm supposed to fight this woman, and she's some sort of eldritch abomination that commands our worst nightmares come to life. A monster so powerful that even Professor Ozpin is afraid of her."

Hansel nodded in understanding. "He told you about your eyes too, didn't he?" He knew the answer.

Ruby nodded. "And what do you intend to do, in spite of your fear?" Hansel asked curiously.

"I want to fight." Ruby said without hesitation. "If I have the power to do it. I want to fight, and I want to help people. It's why I joined Beacon in the first place."

Hansel frowned. "Even though you're scared, huh? You're not going to run from the call."

Ruby nodded. "So, if you had the opportunity to run from your fate, you wouldn't take it?" Hansel asked curiously.

"Of course not," Ruby shook her head, "if I ran away and people died because I wasn't there to help them, I'd be devastated."

"And what can one person do?" Hansel asked.

"I don't know," Ruby admitted, "but…I don't think that's a reason not to try."

Hansel looked at Ruby in disbelief before nodding in understanding. "I have to admit, Rose, you are as stubborn as they come. And right now, I can't tell whether that's a good thing or a bad thing."

Ruby looked at Hansel in confusion. "Professor Ozpin used to tell me about people like you. Often compared your type to a fairy tale hero." Hansel admitted. "A paragon who can inspire hope in others with their refusal to give up in the face of grief, depression and adversity."

"A life like that has one or two things that are always on the path, Rose." Hansel warned her. "The first is less often. The paragon attracts loyal friends. They inspire hope and give their friends the courage to continue onward."

"And what's the second thing?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Pain," Hansel revealed grimly, "the path you want to take…has a lot of pain. The world is cruel. People you care about will get hurt, or worse. You'll be constantly heartbroken when others disappoint you with their own evil and selfishness. And there's always the possibility you'll die without ever having made a difference. And dying like that, when you're on a path like the one you want to walk…it's one of the most painful deaths you can experience, Rose."

"…You seem to speak from experience." Ruby noted.

Hansel tensed at that. "I'm sorry," Ruby said immediately, "that was out of line."

Hansel calmed himself down. "I've spent plenty of time in the company of death." He admitted. "And unfortunately, that won't be ending any time soon."

"But listen, Rose, the path you want to take is as hard as I claim it is. As great as the path of light sounds…it can burn people with its intensity just as easily as the path of darkness can consume those who walk that path." Hansel told her.

"I know," Ruby nodded.

"If you know, then why do you want to walk it?" Hansel asked her.

"…Because I have to do _something_." Ruby said. "And even if the world is cruel…even if I might fail…isn't that why the Huntsmen are here? To make that world a bit less cruel? To make it a bit better for people?"

Hansel did not answer. Ruby sighed. "But I also know…that I can't just let Salem continue to do what she wants. Too many innocent people died during the Vytal Festival. They died because of her plans. I can't just walk away knowing all of that."

"I lost a friend during the Vytal Festival, Professor." Ruby told him, sadly remembering Penny. "She was just a robot to other people…but to me, she was just as human as all my other friends were. And most importantly…she _was_ my friend…"

Hansel heard the sound of sniffling. He turned to see that Ruby had started crying at the memories of her friend. He found himself wanting to comfort her, only to realize, much to his own sadness and disgust, that he honestly did not know how to properly comfort someone when they were like this.

"That's why I can't walk away." Ruby sobbed. "I don't want good people to keep dying like Penny. So, even if Salem scares me…I'm going to fight."

Hansel nodded in understanding. "For what it's worth, Rose, I hope you can endure it." He admitted.

"I was wrong about you," Hansel continued, "and I'm sorry about that. You're tougher than I gave you credit for. Even if I honestly don't believe this world can be saved…I do believe in giving it everything you've got until the very end. Because no matter how much of a difference we believe we can make, our job is to make sure good folks are safe and able to live another day."

"Honestly, that's how I'm able to justify my own path in life." Hansel admitted. "I don't care if its Salem, Cinder, the White Fang, or any other asshole. If I've got to fight them—or even kill them if I have to—for the sake of others…I'm gonna give it everything I've got."

Ruby looked at Hansel. While all of that had been genuine, she had also hoped to find out what Hansel had been doing by finding out if he had been investigating Salem's activities. Whatever he was up to, it clearly had nothing to do with Salem.

"So, is that all you wanted to talk about, Rose?" Hansel asked. "Did you just need to vent?"

"Oh, no, I had plenty more to talk about." Ruby admitted. "Well, actually, I had plenty more I wanted to do."

"Oh yeah, and what else did you want?" Hansel asked curiously.

"Umm…well, we talked about incorporating kickboxing with Crescent Rose." Ruby held out her compacted scythe. "I was just wondering, could we spar with our weapons just for a bit so I could get a feel for that?"

Hansel was actually surprised by that. "You want to spar with weapons?"

Ruby nodded. "Are you're sure you've got the energy for it?" He asked. "We did just spar you know."

Ruby nodded. "And do you feel like you can handle it?" Hansel asked.

Ruby nodded again. Hansel nodded as well. "You wanted this, so you can't take it back." Hansel told her as he drew his Wolf Fang. "We were eventually going to get you acclimated with one on one fights, so I guess now's as good a time as any."

"We were?" Ruby was confused.

Hansel nodded. "It's like I told you in that report I gave you, Rose." He reminded her. "Your combat skills, as of now, are more suited for fighting large groups. Now, granted, that is just fine when you're fighting the Grimm, but you're no longer just dealing with Grimm, you're dealing with Salem and her top goons. People like Cinder. And trust me, Rose, she's not the only one. And they're all dangerous."

Ruby nodded in understanding. "Now, we're going to start by going back to the basics." Hansel told her.

"The basics?" Ruby whined.

"Don't complain, Rose, this is what you wanted." Hansel reminded her.

"First, fighting with weapons is a lot like fighting with fists." Hansel explained. "Even when you attack, you have to leave yourself as well defended as you can manage."

"Now, this is where things get a bit tough for you." Hansel explained. "Scythes and other kinds of weapons along those lines are very difficult to both attack and defend at the same time."

"However," Hansel continued, "I think, you have a unique opportunity here, Rose. In order for you to become an effective fighter in a one-on-one duel, you need to learn to replicate my style and make it your own."

"Oh, you mean your super aggressive one?" Ruby asked.

Hansel nodded. "However," he said, "this is where our styles need to differentiate. The katana is sharp and fast. However, its defense is only as good as how quickly I can move my arms. This is where your scythe actually has the advantage. The blade is much larger, and thanks to the staff of your scythe, you have an advantage in length as well. That means you have more to work with on defense."

"And that means, you need to obtain a sense of balance in offense and defense in your aggression." Hansel explained. "You need to learn to attack while keeping your guard up, just like when you box."

"How do I do that?" Ruby asked curiously.

"There are two ways to do it." Hansel held up two fingers. "And you're going to learn both ways."

"The first way," Hansel told her, "is to use a sort of hit and run technique. It's aggressive, but it also takes into account that your speed can actually be a great defense."

"Now, the hit and run tactic can have two great applications." Hansel explained. "First, it is a safe but effective form of attacking, as I explained. The second is that it can be a great form of deception as well."

"Deception?" Ruby asked curiously.

"You can downplay your speed, only increasing it when you want to avoid your opponent's attack." Hansel told her. "You can deceive them, lull them into fighting at your pace, and when they leave an opening. You go back on the offensive."

"The only disadvantages of the hit and run tactic is that you can either be outpaced by a faster opponent, or they hit you with a large scale attack that you'll only have a few seconds to avoid."

Ruby nodded in understanding. "The second way," Hansel continued, "is that we turn you into a kick boxer, even when you have that scythe of yours. This is why I want you to learn to employ kicks."

"You stay on the defensive, and catch your opponents off guard with kicks." Hansel explained. "But it'll be up to you to decide when to employ hit and run attacks, and when to be a kick boxer."

"Of course, you'll also employ long-ranged attacks with your gun as needed." Hansel added. "Just try to get used to firing without having to plant your scythe into the ground to aim. If you want to commit to this, you need to improve on all accounts. No enemy in a one-on-one fight is going to let you pull that kind of shit."

"So, what do you say, Rose, you want to give it a shot?" Hansel asked.

Ruby nodded. "I'll direct you as much as I can. But I'll also try to give you as much freedom as I can to let you figure things out on your own."

"Thanks, Professor."

"Okay," Hansel nodded, "I want you to attack me, first. Test out the hit and run tactic. Attack me. Decide how much you want to hit me, then retreat."

Ruby nodded. "Begin!" Hansel yelled.

Ruby immediately went on the offensive. She was in front of Hansel in an instant, swinging Crescent Rose at him. Hansel raised Wolf Fang and blocked each of Ruby's swings. Ruby then retreated back a few feet. Hansel narrowed his eyes, knowing that she wanted to lure him in. Deciding to play along, Hansel charged Ruby and swung Wolf Fang at her. Ruby then sped up, avoiding each of his attacks.

"Pick up on how I'm attacking, Rose." Hansel told her. "Find an opening and resume your assault."

Ruby noticed that Hansel was swinging from the sides a lot. So, she leapt into the air, sped up into rose petals, reappeared behind Hansel, and resumed her assault. Hansel smirked slightly. Ruby had done exactly what he wanted. "Good!" Hansel yelled. "Now stop."

Ruby froze in mid swing. "Okay," Hansel told her, "time for you to go on defense, Rose."

"Remember what I told you, you're a kick boxer now, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Ruby smiled as she raised Crescent Rose in defense.

Hansel nodded. "Watch my movements, Rose," he told her, "figure out how I'm attacking, and then decide how you want to counter."

Ruby nodded. "Okay," Hansel said, "begin!"

Hansel started swinging Wolf Fang at Ruby with his usual aggression. Ruby kept on the defensive, trying to figure out Hansel's patterns and waiting for an opening. Then, she noticed that Hansel was trying to "cleave" her in half with downward swings.

Now knowing what he was doing, Ruby countered. She stepped into his next swing, using the staff of Crescent Rose to block his next attack. Hansel's eyes widened slightly. If he did pull away, he would need an extra second to fully disengage and attack again.

And that extra second was all Ruby needed. Acting on instinct, Ruby leapt into the air, carrying herself forward with her Semblance. Then, not even a second later, Ruby transformed back into her corporeal form and kicked Hansel square in the jaw. Hansel grunted in pain. The kick was actually pretty painful because of the added momentum from Ruby's Semblance.

The professor of combat was knocked into the air by Ruby's kick as the girl back-flipped and landed on her feet. Hansel grunted in pain again as he landed on his back. Ruby's eyes widened, worried that she might have gone too far. These worries were only magnified when she noticed that his lower lip was actually bleeding.

"Oh my gosh I am so sorry!" Ruby yelled frantically.

Hansel looked at Ruby in disbelief. "What the hell are you apologizing for?" He asked before adding, "That was exactly what you should've done."

Ruby rubbed her head in embarrassment. "You really think so?" She asked.

"I know so," Hansel then added in curiosity, "where did you learn to do that?"

"Your recommendations, sir," Ruby told him, "you said to try and incorporate my Semblance with hand to hand combat so I did."

"And that little stunt?" Hansel asked curiously.

Ruby had a sheepish look on her face. "It was instinct," she admitted, "but I remembered you using your Semblance to increase your momentum, so I've been looking at ways I can do the same."

Hansel could not believe what he was hearing from her. If she really had developed that move from watching him, than… "You saw me do that once." He pointed out.

 _That's unreal,_ Hansel thought in disbelief, _she saw me use my Semblance do something similar one time, and she was able to develop her own version of it. One time…one fucking time…_

Hansel shook his head, wiping his mouth and feeling the blood on it. _Shit, I underestimated this girl big time._ He realized. _She's a kinetic learner, just like I am. She watches and then does. And boy does she._

Hansel then gave Ruby a small smirk. He got to his feet and held his sword out. "Again," he ordered.

Ruby nodded and smiled. "Yes, sir," she said obediently, preparing to defend herself.

Hansel went on the offensive again, while Ruby defended. Then, when Ruby saw her opening, she tried that same trick again. However, Hansel was ready this time. He caught her leg, and threw Ruby straight into the ground.

"Ow…" Ruby groaned.

Hansel sighed, stopping himself from getting angry at her messing up. "Do you know why you failed this time?" He asked.

"Because you knew it was coming?" Ruby offered.

"Exactly," Hansel nodded, "never expect the same trick to work twice in a fight. Only use your finishing moves if you're confident you can end the fight. Because if you fail to finish the fight, that move won't work a second time. Keep that in mind for the future."

Ruby got to her feet. "Yes, sir," she said with a smile, "thank you for the lesson, sir."

"And Rose," Hansel said before adding with all the sincerity he could muster, "that really was a good move…you caught me off guard and that actually pisses me off."

"It does?" Ruby was confused.

Hansel nodded. "I hate it when people get the drop on me, and I certainly hate it when it's just a student who has much less experience than I do. You get that, right?"

"Umm…I guess so." Ruby nodded.

Hansel clapped her on the shoulder. "So you better be ready, because if and when we spar again, I'm going to up the difficulty. No way am I going to let you catch me off guard that easily a second time."

"Now come on, we're heading back to camp."

Ruby smiled, knowing in his own strange way, Hansel was recognizing her efforts. "Yes, sir," she said eagerly.

After the two returned to camp, Ruby was given the rest of the day off to rest and recharge, seeing she had gotten her afternoon training done early. Then, night fell, and Hansel sent his students to bed.

"Bright and early tomorrow, just like today." He told them. "Straight to bed, all of you."

The students did as asked, and drifted off to sleep, one by one. When the last student fell asleep, Hansel waited for a while, to make sure no one just woke up from his actions. When enough time passed, Hansel made his move. He got to his feet and left the campsite once more.

Then, when Hansel was out of sight, Ruby Rose opened her eyes, revealing she had been faking her sleep. Ruby silently moved over to her teammates. "Weiss, Blake, Yang, wake up." She whispered.

"Mmm…I love you most of all cake butler…ugh…what? Ruby, why are you waking me up? Professor Kobalt will be furious if we're still awake." Weiss told her.

"Professor Kobalt isn't even here." Ruby told her bluntly.

"What are you talking about, Ruby?" Yang groggily woke up.

"He left, he went into the forest." Ruby whispered.

"What? Why would Professor Kobalt go into the forest?" Blake asked curiously.

"That's what I want to find out." Ruby replied. "You guys coming?"

Yang was immediately on her feet. "Hell yeah, I'm coming. Let's go find out what Teach is up to."

"This could get us in a lot of trouble, Ruby." Blake was a bit more hesitant, but she was getting to her feet as well, knowing there was no way she could dissuade Ruby and Yang from going.

"The best thing to do is trust whatever Professor Kobalt is doing and just wait for him to come back." Weiss said tiredly.

"Maybe, but…what if he's on some important mission, something goes wrong and then he needs backup. He's done this twice now, guys. I think there's something important that he's keeping from us. Nothing malicious, but if it's something important, secret mission, wouldn't you guys want to be involved with it?"

"Not if the Professor gets mad at us for disobeying him." Weiss pointed out.

"Maybe, but he might also be proud of us for helping him with his mission." Ruby tried to see the positive in this.

Yang smiled. "Well, I'm going. Where Teach goes, something tells me plenty of crazy stuff will follow. I want to see it all."

Blake sighed. "You two are going, even if we say it's a bad idea, so I'll go too."

"Yeah, someone's gotta keep you two out of trouble." Weiss added. "Well, less trouble than we'll get in for disobeying the professor."

"Alright," Ruby whispered excitedly, "Team RWBY, move out!"

Hansel quickly made his way through the forest towards the Neverland Gorge. Unbeknownst to him, he was being tracked now by Team RWBY, courtesy of Blake Belladonna. Soon, Hansel was in the large clearing between the forest and the Neverland Gorge. He narrowed his eyes at the sight, knowing what was to come. _This night's about to become the worst of your life, Don Corleone._ Hansel vowed inwardly.

 _You won't run from me anymore._


	12. Chapter 12: Things That Go Bump

**Chapter 12: Things That Go Bump in the Night**

For the past year, there had been a rumor circulating around Remnant. It was a very credible rumor, in fact. They say that when the criminal element of Remnant wants to frighten each other, they tell stories of the Blue Demon, the one who came onto the scene a year ago and began hunting down gang after gang, criminal after criminal, uncaring of who he angered along the way; all in the name of a personal vendetta against the shadowy terrorist organization known as Gray Jackal.

We know the Blue Demon as Hansel Kobalt, the temperamental but well-meaning professor of combat at Beacon Academy. But as for the stories of Hansel's other job as the criminal underworld's potentially worst nightmare? All of it was and still is quite true. Hansel bore a tremendous hatred for the criminal element. Not necessarily the street rats who populated Atlas' slums. He had plenty of sympathy for them.

No, Hansel's hate for criminals came from his effort to judge each person as their own individual rather than paint with a broad brush. Sure, he claimed politicians and nobles were scumbags, but that was because he had yet to meet decent ones. And until he personally met the good ones, he could only go on his own opinion.

Anyway to him, if someone made the decision to inconvenience another person for their own sake, whether it was petty thievery, assault, or much, much worse, they frankly deserved a very painful lesson in why they should not do that. People trapped in the slums were one thing, but the ones who chose crime? He just could not understand them. He did not want to understand them. It was not that Hansel thought that all criminals were bad people. He just thought they needed to take responsibility for their decision.

To him, it really did not matter who they were, be it human or faunus, man or woman, anything. If your idea of living involves making life difficult for others, then why should you get any sympathy? That sympathy should be for the ones you hurt with your choice.

For Hansel, it only got more complicated when it came to large-scale criminal organizations, like Don Anthonio Corleone's syndicate. Not complicated in the sense that it changed the way Hansel dealt with matters. No, the way Hansel dealt with problems was always simple, head on and with all the force he could muster until each and every person involved is down for the count.

No, it became complicated because taking on an entire criminal organization meant passing judgement on a lot of people. He knew that Corleone held a lot of his subordinates in an iron grip. Not all of them were bad guys, just scared. However, it did not change the fact they were following a sociopath who ruined the lives of a lot of innocent people. No matter how good they really were, no matter how scared they were, choosing to follow someone like that…he could not ignore it.

Especially now that Corleone was in Gray Jackal's pocket. Hansel definitely could not just stand by when they were involved. Gray Jackal needed to be destroyed, no matter what, and if that meant taking on the most dangerous man in Remnant's criminal underworld, then so be it. Corleone is one thing, but Gray Jackal…well that was a story for another time.

The point was, Hansel Kobalt, well-meaning he may be, and as much as he hates the name 'Blue Demon,' it was a name he definitely earned when hunting. 122 solo criminals caught, 12 gangs wiped out, and from those numbers, an insane amount of hospitalized criminals with undisclosed injuries. That was Hansel's record as a Huntsman earned in a single year of active duty. And it not only terrified criminals, but it also terrified the populace, who could not help but wonder what would happen if the young Huntsman went rogue and turned his power against the innocents of the world.

At the end of the day, Hansel was just a skilled Huntsman with terrible PR, feared by friend and foe alike. Not that he cared, of course. Hansel never cared how other people felt about him, just the mission. The only two people who honestly understood him, and knew he was nowhere near as bad as his reputation stated, were his two parental figures, Ozpin and Glynda. However, to everyone else, he was the frightening Blue Demon.

And tonight, he was going to add to that terrifying legend, hunting down the dangerous Don Anthonio Corleone and his men.

When hunting men, Hansel had a very simple method: march right in and attack. This was not a time to be subtle. Gathering information was when subtlety was needed, not when eliminating evil. No, when eliminating evil, the simplest method was always the best. Take them out with direct force.

The sentries watched in utter bafflement as a figure in blue emerged into view. "The hell is this?" The lead sentry demanded in disbelief. "Who is this guy?"

"Hold up, he's dressed in blue…that's not the Blue Demon is he?" A younger sentry asked in fear. "Oh shit, did he find us?"

Hansel then stopped ten feet in front of the sentries, giving them an unreadable expression. "Evening gentlemen," Hansel greeted them, "I've got two questions for you. How's your health plan? And, where's the Don?"

The sentries gazed at Hansel in utter bewilderment. "Take aim!" The lead sentry yelled as the group trained their weapons on the Blue Demon.

Hansel rolled his eyes, placing his hand on the hilt of Wolf Fang. "Apparently, the health plan is great." He noted, drawing Wolf Fang and charging the sentries.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" The sentries yelled, firing at Hansel.

Hansel parried the volley of bullets by swinging his katana around as he sped towards the sentries. Meanwhile, inside of the Neverland Gorge, Don Anthonio Corleone was immediately alerted to the sound of gunfire. "Is there an intruder?" A young mobster wondered out loud.

"No, boy, the sentries are just doing a little target practice." Corleone sarcastically responded. "Who has the balls to attack us?"

"Don, I think we both know who that is." Vito Capone lumbered up, his subordinates still wincing at the sight of his horrifically burnt form. "It appears the Blue Demon has found us."

This immediately caused a panic among Corleone's subordinates. Things only worsened when the gunfire from the sentries were suddenly cut off. "Silence!" Corleone yelled. His men immediately followed that single order.

"Are you men, or mice?" Corleone demanded. "You are part of the mightiest criminal family in all of Remnant, and you're scared of a damn boogeyman? You bring shame to my name with your fear, and that makes me weep, gentlemen."

"Don…" A few mobsters muttered, ashamed of themselves.

"I don't know how that brat found us, but he's not going to ruin this. I want every man available on him. Let's see how our boogeyman likes it when everyone here comes out to say hello."

"But Don," a young mobster spoke up, "it's the Blue Demon, Hansel Kobalt. He's taken out how many of our boys? And that's not even mentioning all the other people he's put in the emergency room."

A few mobsters nodded in agreement at the young man's statement. Corleone nodded in understanding. "Okay, I get it, we've got some naysayers among us. You're scared, I get it. He is called a demon…and considering the blood that runs through his veins, he probably is some kind of demon."

"But see, it's not him who should scare you." Corleone explained. "You don't believe me? Well, why don't we make this into a little game, you boys love games, right?"

The mobsters all nodded nervously while they heard the sounds of Hansel cutting down more sentries. "It's a little game I call: 'Kill or be Killed.'" Corleone told them. "And it's quite simple. You boys ready?"

"Either you kill that damn demon, or _I kill you_! Understand?"

The mobsters all whimpered. Corleone then gave them all a pleasant, fatherly smile. "Don't worry, boys, I'm a reasonable guy, and I'll make sure you're compensated." Corleone assured them. "The person who kills Hansel Kobalt gets a big fat bonus. And I'm not just talking your average Christmas bonus, boys. I'm talking the kind of bonus that will allow you to retire in a few years. But it only goes to the one who kills Hansel."

This seemed to return the fighting spirit to the mobsters. "See? Everyone likes money." Corleone said pleasantly. "Now, if you would just go and kill that annoyance, that would be great."

The mobsters nodded and ran off. However, Corleone stopped one mobster and gave him one extra order. "Go and get the Boarbatusk Brothers, I need their skills for this."

"Yes, Don," the mobster said obediently and ran to get _those_ three.

"Don, I want to be the one to kill Hansel." Capone growled. "Look at what he did to me."

"I know, my boy, I know." Corleone assured him. "You'll get your chance, but that little bastard has been causing a lot of trouble for us, and frankly, I'd rather give all my boys a fair chance to remove the little prick that's been a thorn in our side."

"If you want to kill him so badly, then go out and do it. Nobody's stopping you, so go." Corleone told him. "Chop, chop!"

Capone nodded and ran to join his fellow mobsters. "Now then," Corleone growled under his breath, "time to gather my things. If he's here causing chaos, then the Grimm won't be far behind, and that's somehow not as bad as if the authorities are alerted to the commotion."

Corleone walked into his personal tent. "That brat just has to ruin everything." He growled. "Damn little prick. He'll pay for this one of these days. Until then, I need to get the advance pay from Gray Jackal outta here. I will not have all my efforts go to waste!"

While Corleone resolved himself to flee the area with his money, Hansel continued his one man assault on Corleone's Neverland Gorge headquarters. "Stand your ground!" A mobster in the lead of a line of gangsters yelled, firing on Hansel. "He may be a monster, but you can still blow his head off like everyone else! So don't stop shooting!"

Hansel deflected the volley of gunfire with ease thanks to his Wolf Fang. "Just bring me the Don, and I'll leave you alone!" Hansel warned them. "I will only offer this once!"

The mobsters ignored Hansel and continued firing on him. "Is the gunfire drowning out my voice?" Hansel wondered. "Okay, don't say I didn't warn you."

Black flames appeared around Hansel's hand. "Don't blame me for what happens next!" Hansel yelled. "This is your own damn fault!"

With that, Hansel fired a powerful blast of flames that enveloped the mobsters. Hansel sighed as he heard the screams of the mobsters as they were incinerated. "You damn fools," he muttered, "is the Don really worth third degree burns?"

Hansel calmly stepped over the burnt bodies of the mobsters he incinerated. "Sorry, this is just how things had to be. Don't blame me, blame your douche-bag boss that got you mixed up in this bullshit in the first place, and blame yourselves for deciding to stick around."

"Get him!" Hansel heard the sound of more mobsters running towards him, drawing what seemed to be riot sticks.

"Fucking A." Hansel groaned in annoyance.

The sticks then sparked with electricity. "Oh, electric riot sticks." Hansel raised an eyebrow at their weapons. "Fucking A…"

And with that, Hansel stood his ground in a perfect fencer's stance. When the first mobster swung his riot stick at Hansel. Hansel easily blocked the first swing. He did not even flinch as the electricity traveled down the blade and into his arm. "Oh shit." The mobster muttered, realizing he might have screwed up.

"Yeah, that's a pretty accurate way to sum things up." Hansel told him.

Hansel then forced the mobster off his feet, stepped into the man's personal space and cut him across the midsection. Hansel then stepped to the side and avoided another swing from a different riot stick.

"Yeah, no," Hansel muttered, stabbing that mobster in the knee and then silencing his cry of pain with an elbow to the jaw, knocking the mobster to the ground.

"You guys have no discipline, like a certain blonde brat that loves to get on my nerves for no fucking reason." Hansel noted, rolling his eyes at the memory of Yang Xiao Long. "And I'm actually starting to wonder if that pisses me off even more."

"You swing with only power, no sense of control. If someone dodged one of your attacks…" Hansel was interrupted by another riot stick, which made him duck underneath the attack, "…Don't you interrupt me, dickhead."

Unfortunately, it would appear that the Don offering a "bonus" to whoever killed Hansel, made the mobsters a bit too gung-ho. And it was showing. They were pushing and shoving each other, trying to get to Hansel first. Hansel did not care, he was simply focusing on the one currently attacking him.

Hansel smacked the guy in the stomach, making him bend over. He then knocked him out with the hilt of Wolf Fang. "Now, as I was saying," Hansel continued, "because you swing those sticks of yours with no sense of control, if someone dodged one of your attacks, you'd get countered easily."

Hansel stepped around another mobster who swung his riot stick at him and stabbed him in the back, avoiding his spine, and hearing a loud thud as the mobster's body hit the floor. Then, Hansel stabbed another in the stomach, not even bothering letting him attack. Then he jumped into the air, spinning and avoiding two simultaneous swings from mobsters. Landing, Hansel acted quickly. He delivered a quick palm-strike to one crook's kneecap, shattering it, and then slicing the legs of the other. Both mobsters fell over in an instant.

Then, Hansel turned his attention to the last of the mobsters, who was holding his riot stick out in front of him, gazing at him fearfully. Hansel gave him a deadpan stare that said he was absolutely done with their shit. "Dude, do you really know who you are fucking with here?"

The mobster nodded fearfully. "Okay," Hansel nodded, "and do you really wanna try fighting me? I mean, you do know I've taken out a lot of goons like you, right? I mean look at you, you're already shaking in your boots."

The mobster nodded again. "Okay, yeah, you should probably just drop the weapon and lay down, okay?" Hansel told him.

"Okay." The mobster whimpered, dropping his riot stick and laying down.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. So, in conclusion," Hansel said, stepping over that particular mobster "you guys are a bunch of thugs with no discipline. I may have the reputation of a demon, but I fight like a man, not some savage. Class dismissed."

Hansel then blinked as though he were coming back to his senses. "Agh, damn it," he cursed, "are you kidding me? Am I already so used to my new job that I'm treating it like it's an everyday part of my life! AGH! That is such bullshit!"

"What are you talking about?" The mobster laying down asked.

"Did I say you could talk to me?" Hansel snapped at the mobster.

The mobster just whimpered, realizing that Hansel never gave him permission to speak. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Hansel nodded. He then saw more mobsters coming towards him and rolled his eyes. "Okay, who's next?"

"HANSEL KOBALT!" A raspy voice screamed in rage and determination.

Hansel winced at the burnt man leading the bunch. "You do not look so good." He muttered.

"I've waited way too long for this, Kobalt!" Vito Capone glared at him. "Don't think I haven't forgotten what you did to me! I look like hell thanks to you!"

"But I'm going to have my revenge, you bastard! You took everything from me back in Mistral! And now…you better believe revenge is going to taste sweet!"

Hansel gazed at Capone in sheer confusion. Then, he raised an eyebrow and asked a completely innocent question. "I'm sorry, who are you again?" Yeah, he had honestly forgotten who this guy was.

Capone let out a furious, raspy growl. "Kill this son of a bitch!" He yelled at the goons behind him.

"Okay, I guess asking for the Don is out of the question." Hansel muttered, igniting his hand with black flames once more.

Hansel waved his hand out in front of him, setting the ground in front of him on fire, stopping the mobsters dead in their tracks. Capone in particular seemed frightened at the sight of the flames that had turned him into a Freddy Krueger lookalike.

Meanwhile, Team RWBY finally arrived in the clearing, where the Neverland Gorge was about a hundred yards away. They then discovered, much to their surprise and confusion, what appeared to be black light coming from the gorge. "Whoa, we are missing one hell of a party down there." Yang noted.

"You don't think the professor's…doing a job, is he?" Blake wondered.

"Do you…think it's possible that the professor brought us out here so he could do whatever it is he's doing right now?" Weiss asked.

"Well, maybe it's some super-secret mission that Professor Ozpin gave him?" Ruby suggested.

"Okay, so we know what the professor is up to." Blake nodded, already satisfied. "Can we all go back to bed now?"

Yang looked at Ruby, who was gazing at the gorge with a look of single-minded determination on her face. "Ah, geez," Yang groaned, "girls, I don't think we'll be getting any sleep tonight."

Weiss sighed in resignation. "…Because we'll be keeping watch in Professor Kobalt's place, right?" Blake sounded like she was in denial.

"Okay, fearless leader, lead on." Weiss said, resigned to helping Ruby through another harebrained scheme of hers.

"Forward march, Team RWBY, we're going to assist Professor Kobalt in anything he may need."

"…You know, I seriously doubt he needs assistance from a bunch of students." Blake pointed out as the rest of Team RWBY began moving towards the entrance to the gorge. Blake sighed, knowing there was no turning back. "Yeah, sure, why listen to me? I've only got animal instincts that are telling me to go the other way…back to camp."

"Aww, come on, Blake." Yang teased. "Everything's going to be fine. I promise, this won't be a cat-tastrophe."

"Yang, in all seriousness, and with all the love I can muster, please shut up." Just so we're clear, that was actually Ruby telling Yang that, and not Blake. Even Ruby hated her puns.

Weiss gazed at the gorge, feeling a slight sense of impending doom. "So…why do people fear the Neverland Gorge so much?"

"Well, back when I was…operating in Vale with the White Fang." Blake began, cringing at those old memories. "We were specifically ordered to never enter the gorge. Apparently the place is crawling with Grimm. Rumor has it, there's a particularly dangerous one that roams as the gorge's 'ruler.'"

"…Great, and we're just going to march right into it." Weiss muttered sarcastically.

"As much as I love beating up Grimm, I don't think we have to worry too much." Yang pointed out. "Whoever Teach is fighting, they seem to have already cleared the place out."

"Yang, I don't think that makes our situation any better." Weiss told her. "That means, we're walking into a fight against enemies strong enough to take over the gorge."

"Hey, don't talk to me about it, take it up with Ruby. This was her idea, after all." Yang pointed out.

"Ruby, are you absolutely certain you want to do this?" Blake asked. "I mean, Professor Kobalt is a professional Huntsman. He can take care of himself."

"I'm sure he can." Ruby nodded. "If he's every bit the professional Uncle Qrow is, then I've got no reason to worry about him."

"So why…"

"But we're going to help him anyway, because there's strength in numbers. And even professionals need a hand sometimes." Ruby pointed out sagely. "I just want to make sure that he comes back okay, just like I want us all to come back alive."

"I…guess that's sound logic." Blake noted. "I just hope he sees it that way when he yells at us for ignoring his orders."

"At this point I don't think Ruby cares." Yang admitted. "She's always been this way."

 _Sure, she was shy growing up, always hiding behind me when she could…but as soon as someone was in trouble, no matter who it was, she'd just leap into action and come to that person's defense. She cares about people…she gets that from Summer._

"Everyone stay close." Ruby ordered. "We're only here to find Professor Kobalt and offer our assistance. Take out any stragglers, but don't stray too far from the rest of the team."

"Seriously, the professor is a professional. He doesn't need our help." Blake tried to get everyone to see reason, only to realize that nobody was going to listen to her. "Ugh, I give up, fine, lets do this."

"That's the spirit Blake!" Ruby cheered, completely missing the fact that Blake wanted no part of this.

Just like Blake said though, Hansel was definitely in no need of any help. Capone screamed in pain as Hansel reappeared behind him, blade drawn. The mobster then groaned as he fell over, cut down and put out of his misery by Hansel. "Sorry," Hansel said, "I did remember you…briefly. Blame yourself, Capone, you made the choice to work for Corleone. Don't blame me for being the only one ballsy enough to make you pay for walking such a terrible career path."

"Fuck…you…" Capone groaned as life left his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before." Hansel rolled his eyes. He definitely would not lose any sleep over this guy's death. Not for Corleone's right hand man.

At that point, Hansel had honestly lost count of how many guys he had cut down since entering the gorge. Had Corleone sent his entire force after him just to try and gain some semblance of safety? That was just cowardly as hell. At that point, Hansel was sick of fighting his peons.

"Corleone!" Hansel screamed. "Get your fat ass out here right now! Your boys couldn't stop me! So unless you want to get out of here alive, I suggest you man the hell up and get out here and fight me yourself!"

At that moment, Hansel heard the sound of clapping, sarcastic clapping, the kind of clapping Qrow would give him whenever he wanted to tease the boy. "Fat am I?" Don Anthonio Corleone stepped into view. He gazed down at his big gut and sighed, picking up a briefcase he had briefly set down to sarcastically applaud the boy. "Yeah, I guess I have been…enjoying the wealth a bit too much lately."

Hansel glared at the big man. "So, got tired of sending your flunkies to fight and die against me?"

"What a very rude greeting," Corleone spat, "you never learned any manners, huh?"

"Oh shut up," Hansel growled, not in the mood for Corleone's attitude, "if you're some sort of big-shot crime boss, you should act like it, not hide behind your pawns."

"You clearly don't understand what it means to operate in the underworld, boy." Corleone told him. "The only way to be successful is to survive. You Huntsmen may like to conduct yourself with dignity, but criminals do not have to follow such rules. Maybe that's why we're greater in numbers than you holier-than-thou fools."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "So you claim," he growled, "but I'm afraid you're not going to be able to lay claim to such things when I'm done with you. Unless of course, you want to do something productive with your life for a change and tell me what you've been doing for Gray Jackal."

Corleone had to laugh at that. "Gray Jackal? Of all things to come after me for, that's why? Such a dumb boy, trying to be a hero and killing all the terrorists. A waste of time, if you ask me."

Corleone then smirked. "And you know what people say about time being money, right?

"As far as I'm concerned, you're the one wasting my time with corny dialogue," replied an annoyed Hansel.

"Guilty as charged," admitted a still-smiling Corleone, who shrugged off the insult with ease, "What can I say? What stands before you is a cultured gentleman with a fondness for the classics!"

Unimpressed with Corleone's grandstanding, Hansel snorted in disbelief. "What 'stands before me' is just another cliche thug in a suit who needs to be taken down. Nothing more, nothing less."

Corleone heaved an over-dramatic sigh. "You know, it really is too bad, if you hadn't ruined so many of my operations, I'd have asked you to join me, do something useful with your life for a change. We could've really painted Remnant red, kid."

"I wouldn't join you anyway." Hansel promised him. "So just shut up and tell me what I want to know, and maybe I'll let you keep your limbs. This is your one chance to get some undeserved mercy, Don, I suggest you take it!"

"Well, then I guess it's best for you to just die then." Corleone smirked. "So long."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "Huh?"

At that moment, three shadows sped into sight. Hansel's eyes widened before being assaulted in three different places. Hansel grunted in pain as he was pushed back by the combined attack. "In case you haven't figured it out, I'm not going to be fighting you. The boss doesn't have to waste his time with annoying trash like you." Corleone taunted.

"You really are a piece of work, aren't you." Hansel growled. "Sending out more pawns to fight and die for you like that. What did you do, bribe these guys with a pay raise?"

"Actually, we're just doing what we were originally paid for, oink oink." A big, burly man with curly red hair and a headdress that oddly reminded Hansel of a Boarbatusk head.

"Bodyguards have gotta do what bodyguards have got to do, oink oink." A shorter, stouter man with short red hair in a crew-cut and a Boarbatusk headdress added.

"And not to brag but we're damn good bodyguards, oink oink." The shortest of the bunch, a skinny guy with shoulder length red hair and a headdress like his comrades finished.

 _What the hell's up with that oink oink, shit?_ Hansel wondered. _Did I just step into a manga without knowing?_

"Okay, and who the hell are you three?" Hansel groaned.

"The bodyguard trio that strikes fear into the hearts of all who would do our employers harm." The largest of the bunch introduced dramatically. "The Boarbatusk Brothers!"

"Boarbatusk Younger!" The shortest of the bunch introduced himself.

"Boarbatusk Middle!" The stout one continued.

"And Boarbatusk Elder!" The largest of the bunch concluded as they struck poses that oddly reminded Hansel of those masked hero shows he used to watch as a kid.

"…Why can't I just have one normal job?" Hansel groaned.

Then, the Boarbatusk Brothers drew their weapons: twin daggers that looked like boar tusks. "I don't know, but I can guarantee that this will be your last job!" Boarbatusk Elder declared.

"That was a rhetorical question." Hansel glared at the brothers in annoyance.

"Kill him and I'll double your pay." Corleone promised. "I can clearly afford it since my own men apparently can't hack it."

"It shall be done, Don." Boarbatusk Elder promised.

With that, Corleone lumbered past Hansel. Hansel narrowed his eyes furiously. "Don't you dare run from me, Corleone!" He called out to the man.

"Keep your eyes on us, Boy!" Boarbatusk Elder yelled.

"Otherwise you're going to die!" Boarbatusks Middle and Younger added in unison.

Hansel gasped before blocking Boarbatusk Elder's two daggers with Wolf Fang. Boarbatusk Middle and Boarbatusk Younger charged Hansel's sides, trying to stab him in the spot he had left open thanks to their older brother's efforts.

"Oh fuck right off with that." Hansel growled, igniting his entire body on fire, forcing Boarbatusk Elder to fall back and keeping his younger brothers from attacking.

"So that's the infamous Kobalt Family Semblance," Boarbatusk Elder mused.

"What do we do, Brother? Those flames are intense." Boarbatusk Middle pointed out.

"Worry not, Brother, power like that comes with a massive cool-down." Boarbatusk Elder assured him. "Reality is an equalizer, after all."

Hansel let up his flames. _Great, I let my guard down._ Hansel criticized himself inwardly. _Now I've gotta let my entire body recover before I can use my Semblance again. Can't believe I made a rookie mistake like that._

 _And Corleone's running away, too; he's got nowhere to run, but I need to end this, fast._

"Brothers," Boarbatusk Elder grinned, "we would be foolish not to take advantage of this golden opportunity. Without his Semblance, he's vulnerable. We have the chance to slay the Blue Demon. We would not only be famous…but also heroes in the criminal underworld."

"With such an act, we could triple our rates, Brother!" Boarbatusk Younger pointed out gleefully.

"Money is for greedy, naive fools like you, Little Brother." Boarbatusk Elder claimed. "Real men are after a much greater prize: respect."

With that, the Boarbatusk Brothers rushed Hansel again. _Here they come!_ Hansel thought to himself.

Then, much to Hansel's confusion, the Boarbatusk Brothers jumped about. He then let out a surprised gasp when the brothers began jumping at tremendous speed and force. Hansel's eyes frantically darted about, trying to track the movements as the brothers jumped about like destructive balls. Hansel then realized just what was happening as the brothers began striking at him with their daggers.

 _A shared Semblance between the brothers!_ Hansel realized.

Indeed, the Boarbatusk Brothers, much like the Kobalts and the Schnees, shared their own Semblance, even though they lacked the noble pedigree. Their Semblance: Jump, a simple yet effective Semblance that allowed them to increase the force of their attacks simply through jumping around. As long as there are footholds for them to leap around in, they would continue to increase their strength and power. In a gorge like the Neverland Gorge, a Semblance like this is immensely dangerous.

Hansel swung his katana about, trying his best to block the attacks. He knew he could take it, but he could not allow them to chip away at his Aura, to the point where he would be left vulnerable to a fatal blow.

As his frantic defenses continued, Hansel felt the blows increase in force. He felt a kick to the back of the head that sent him forward. He managed to keep his balance, but found himself gritting his teeth, trying to keep the headache from coming on.

Then the next brother kicked drove his shoulder into Hansel's stomach while the eldest tried to stab him in the neck, only to frown when it failed to penetrate his Aura. However, they had all the time in the world.

After all, right now, there was nothing Hansel could do against them…

Meanwhile, Team RWBY came across what could best be described a horror show. Bodies were strewn about, bleeding. The ones who were still conscious were groaning in pain wishing they were either dead, or unconscious like the ones who had been. To them, being unconscious, even though there was a great mystery into what would happen after they fell into such a dark slumber. For them, it would be like taking a nap after a long day. And it was certainly preferable to just bleeding, feeling their open wounds.

"What happened here?" Yang wondered in disbelief.

"I think we know the answer to that." Blake muttered. "I knew the professor could be savage, but this…"

Ruby Rose shook her head, stunned at the brutality. "I mean, we've taken out plenty of Torchwick's goons, but I don't think we ever left them like this."

"What should we do, Ruby?" Weiss Schnee asked curiously.

"A part of me would really like to help these guys…but I know they've probably done some awful stuff too. Still, I'd love to know just who these guys are to make the professor do something like this to them."

"I think I recognize them." Weiss admitted with tremendous trepidation.

"You know these guys?" Yang asked in surprise.

"Not personally," Weiss shook her head, "but I know for a fact I've seen plenty of similarly dressed characters traversing the company's warehouses. I was always suspicious my father hired them in some under-the-table deals."

Ruby and Yang both looked at Weiss with sympathy. "Weiss, you don't know if your dad would stoop as low as to hire guys like these." Yang tried to reassure her friend.

"Yeah, I mean, maybe the fashion is popular in Atlas." Ruby offered.

"Ruby, Yang, I appreciate the thought, I really do." Weiss smiled weakly. "But I am in no position to pretend my father's a saint. If it would save him a lien or two, he'd hire criminals to protect company warehouses."

"But you were never able to confirm it, right?" Yang offered. "So you shouldn't pass judgement until you've got the proof."

Blake looked at Weiss in sympathy before heaving a sad sigh. "Weiss…I can definitely confirm that these men are dangerous criminals."

Weiss nodded, knowing that was indeed the case. Blake sighed again. "They're mobsters. I had run-ins with plenty of these guys when I was with the White Fang. They used to steal from Dust companies quite a bit, and they took exception to a bunch of 'Faunus Freedom Fighters' trying to steal what they wanted for themselves."

Blake frowned at the memories. "We were always lucky to get out without any casualties. Wish I could've said the same about the employees at the warehouses. They definitely loved to get their licks in on the ones who weren't cooperative."

Blake left it at that. The less that was said about just what the mobsters did to those "uncooperative" folks, the better.

"But," Blake said quickly, trying to reassure Weiss, "that's not to say these men are part of the same organization that your father may or may not have hired."

Weiss smiled. "Thanks, Blake." She appreciated her friends for trying.

The quartet of Huntresses-in-training prepared to move on and try to find their teacher, only to be stopped dead in their tracks by the arrival of someone who was standing on his feet. "What the hell is this nonsense?" Demanded Don Anthonio Corleone, putting his briefcase down next to him.

Ruby and co. looked at Corleone in surprise. "Who the hell are you?" Yang asked.

"Listen, brat, I'll ask the questions, who are you?" Corleone growled. "Are you with that bastard who started attacking my men?"

"Well, that depends," Weiss shrugged, "is he tall, brooding, wears blue, and is kind of a jerk sometimes?"

"Yes," Corleone nodded.

"Does he wield a sword and really knows how to use it?" Blake asked.

"Yes," Corleone nodded again.

"Does he desperately need to get a sense of humor?" Yang frowned slightly. Hansel definitely did not appreciate her jokes as much as he should.

"Probably," Corleone shrugged.

"Is he actually a really nice guy when you get to know him?" Ruby offered.

Yang, Weiss and Blake looked at Ruby in disbelief, who just shrugged. "Fuck no!" Corleone yelled.

"…Is it a different swordsman in blue?" Ruby wondered out loud.

"Oh for God's sake, Ruby, we know it's Teach!" Yang told her.

"If you brats are with him, then it stands to reason I should kill you. Break his pride." Corleone gave a sadistic grin. "Make him pay for all the times he's ruined my operations."

"You really don't know Teach." Yang chuckled. "He'd probably mourn for a bit, but something tells me he wouldn't let it slow him down for too long."

Blake, however, was more focused on what Corleone said their professor had been doing to the man. _Just what is the professor up to?_

"Yang, now you're just being mean." Ruby muttered.

"Teach?" Corleone repeated. "Wait a minute, you brats are students, aren't you?"

"We're not just students!" Ruby clearly took offense at being called that.

"Oh, then what are you exactly?" Corleone curiously inquired.

Ruby gave a confident smile. "We are excellent students!" She proudly declared.

"Says the girl who still falls asleep in Professor Port's class on occasion." Weiss muttered.

"I don't care!" Corleone yelled, already having it with these brats, their professor, literally everything that was impeding his progress towards making a profit in this assignment. "I don't care what the boy is to you! I don't care if he's a teacher or not! All I know is, if you are connected with him in some way, you brats need to suffer for his sins while the Boarbatusk Brothers rip him a new one!"

Blake's eyes widened. _The mercenary trio of brothers? They're here too?_

Corleone then held up his hands, revealing that they were both metallic. Two prosthetic arms. He formed them into fists as they turned light blue. "Shouldn't be too hard to take out a bunch of brats."

"Don't be surprised when you're wrong." Yang taunted, while Team RWBY readied their weapons for battle.

Corleone growled. _Might be good to get some backup, just in case. I didn't come here to fight. I came here to escape with my money._ He thought to himself, reaching up to a headset by his ear.

Hansel Kobalt grunted in pain as he was forced towards a wall after being dealt two simultaneous kicks from Boarbatusk Middle and Boarbatusk Younger. The Boarbatusk Brothers laughed in glee as he got to his feet, dizzy from all the jumping, slicing and kicking. "I confess, I'm disappointed Blue Demon!" Boarbatusk Elder taunted. "Aren't you supposed to be some sort of prodigy."

Hansel glared at them. "Oh? It looks like you have a bit more fight in you." Boarbatusk Elder said with all the ham he could muster. "But, you're covered in bruises and slight lacerations. We may not be able to cause permanent damage now. But give it time, you'll find that we're quite persistent."

Hansel shook his head. "Sorry fellas, but I've got plenty of Aura in me. You're not going to be the death of me. You don't have the stamina."

Before Boarbatusk Elder could continue trading barbs with the younger man, he was suddenly contacted via his headset. "Oh? Would you mind holding that thought for just a moment, Blue Demon? I got a call from our employer."

"Yes, Don?"

 _"Hurry up and finish the brat, you idiots! Some kids are standing in my way! I need to get out of here! Your bodyguards remember, so guard my body!"_

"Of course, of course, don't worry, Don, we'll finish him off." Boarbatusk Elder assured him. "Then we'll come right to where you are and take care of those kids. I'm sure the three of us can handle some kids."

This caught Hansel's attention. _Kids?_

Boarbatusk Elder then surprisingly glared at Hansel. "You know, I always thought the so-called Blue Demon worked alone. And now I hear this news. I don't like unexpected surprises, boy."

"The fuck are you talking about?" Hansel demanded.

Boarbatusk Elder's glare became sharper. "I don't like it when people play dumb too." He growled. "Now, who are those brats you're working with?"

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about." Hansel was really in denial at this point. "I work alone. I fight alone."

"Don't. Lie to me." Boarbatusk Elder said sternly. "My employer is no liar. And he says there are some kids who have impeded his escape. Now, you can tell me who the brats are, or I can kill you, go over there and find out myself."

"Brother, we're going there either way, it's not like we need him to tell us." Boarbatusk Younger pointed out.

"…Good point, little brother." Boarbatusk Elder nodded.

At that moment, Hansel realized that things were going wrong in every way. He had promised Professor Ozpin the students would not get involved. And what happens? A bunch of those brats follow him without him knowing. And now, they are in danger.

"Ugh, son of a bitch, son of a bitch, son of a bitch…" Hansel groaned in frustration.

"Don't worry about telling us anymore, Boy." Boarbatusk Elder brushed him off. "We're going to kill you and find out ourselves."

"No," Hansel said in exasperation, "no, I'm afraid I'm going to be the one who's walking away from this fight."

The brothers all laughed in amusement at that statement. "Is that right?" Boarbatusk Middle grinned. "You dumb ass, we've been dominating this fight! Where do you get off saying stuff like that, huh?"

Hansel responded by leaping into the air and perching himself atop a small cliff on the wall of the gorge. "Honestly? It's because I didn't really put my back into this fight. But, since a few dumb-ass teenagers have decided to be insubordinate, well…you get the idea."

"So you admit you know those brats!" Boarbatusk Elder noted.

"Yeah, so I do." Hansel shrugged as he began unbuttoning his poncho. "But, they don't work with me. This may surprise you, but I'm a teacher now. Surprised? So am I. I'm still getting used to it. And now a few idiot students of mine have gone and put themselves in danger. So I've gotta go save them."

"You won't be saving anyone, fool!" Boarbatusk Younger declared.

"Don't you get it." Hansel moved to the last button. "What part of 'not putting my back into this fight' do you not understand, huh?"

And with that, Hansel removed the poncho, revealing his skintight blue shirt that showed off his well-defined upper-body, and his black pants. "Let me offer you some insight, fellas." Hansel said to them. "This poncho? It's a weighted poncho. It pretty much slows me down to a crawl. I wear it almost everywhere I go so that I'm always training."

With that, Hansel dropped the poncho towards the ground, much to the amusement of Boarbatusk Younger. "A _weighted poncho_?" He laughed. "You've gotta be kidding! How heavy can a poncho be that-"

The poncho slammed to the ground, hard, creating a massive crater. The Boarbatusk Brothers all gave a spit-take in unison. "WHAT?!" They yelled in shock.

 _How the hell does someone walk around with that thing covering him?_ Boarbatusk Middle wondered in disbelief. _**Who**_ _would be_ _ **crazy**_ _enough to wear that thing?_

Hansel smirked as he flexed, stretching his body out. "Okay, let's do this." He said simply before vanishing into a slipstream.

The Boarbatusk Brothers gasped in unison. They could not longer follow his movements. "Oh shit-" Boarbatusk Elder began before him and his brothers were launched into the air by sudden strikes that were too fast to see coming.

Hansel reappeared behind the brothers. His katana out in front of him. He then sheathed his blade. "It's over."

Clink. And with that, all three Boarbatusk Brothers fell, cut down by Hansel's attack. Hansel walked over and heaved his poncho over his shoulder. "Can't just leave this thing, it was custom made and very expensive." He muttered.

He then took notice of the massive crates of what he could only assume to be Dust. "One hell of a score," he muttered, "I definitely don't feel bad for taking it back from them. I'll come back and secure it when I'm done."

"Now, time to find out who I'm going to be screaming at when this is over." Hansel narrowed his eyes as he began running back towards the entrance to the gorge. " _Damn teenagers_!"

 **A.N: Interesting thing about starter villains. You've gotta make 'em memorable in some way, otherwise they'll be forgotten or bore readers. Why? Because they're starter villains, they're not supposed to be huge threats. I mean, the Boarbatusk Brothers are just large hams (pun totally intended) with an impressive Semblance. But, they got taken out pretty easily. As for Corleone...well, you'll just have to wait and see what happens next chapter.**


	13. Chapter 13: Damn Teenagers

**Chapter 13: Damn Teenagers**

As Hansel Kobalt frantically raced towards Don Anthonio Corleone to try and reach whoever had disobeyed him before they got hurt, or worse, Team RWBY stared down the crime boss. They were still trying to figure out just who this guy was and why Hansel was after him. Well, most of them were trying to figure it out.

Ruby Rose, however, was focused on only one thing. She was focused on taking this guy down and making Hansel proud. At least she hoped that would be the case. She did not exactly want Hansel to yell at her either. Thankfully, taking a guy like this down, even Hansel would have to be proud of them if they pulled this off, right? She could see it now…

" _Ruby Rose, you disobeyed my orders…but,"_ Fantasy Hansel turned to see a tied up and beaten Corleone, _"I have to admit, I'm impressed."_

" _Aww, it was nothing."_ Fantasy Ruby blushed in embarrassment. _"Well, I mean, it was definitely something. We totally took down a big, bad crime boss."_

Fantasy Hansel then gave Fantasy Ruby a big smile and patted her on the head affectionately. The fact that Hansel had such a big smile should be a giveaway this is all a fantasy _"Ruby, you did well."_ He told her. _"You surpassed my expectations as a Huntress. I'm not even mad that you disobeyed me. Your instincts netted you one of the most dangerous men in all of Remnant. I'm really proud of you. Consider yourself an A-Student for the time being."_

Ruby grinned in reality. "Yeah, that's gonna be awesome." She muttered.

Corleone glared at Ruby. "HEY, BRAT!" He screamed. "I don't know what you're thinking about, but you better pull your damn head out of your ass! Focus on the fact that I'm literally going to kill you and make peace with whatever god you believe in!"

Yang coughed, getting Ruby's attention. "Ruby…whatever you're thinking about, you might want to tone it down."

"Err…right." Ruby chuckled as she pointed Crescent Rose at Corleone. "Okay, Mr. Crime Boss! I hope you're ready, because you're about to lose to a bunch of kids!"

Corleone smirked. "Well, well, we've got a feisty one." He mused. "Got a couple screws loose, but you're pretty damn feisty."

Corleone smashed his two prosthetic fists together. They lit up with an orange light. Weiss Schnee gasped. "Those prosthetic hands…everyone, those things have Dust stored up inside of them!"

Corleone laughed. "I'd expect nothing less from a Schnee. You're right, I've put tons of Dust cartridges inside of these babies. My real hands...well, consider them a sacrifice for the power I gained."

"That is messed up." Blake Belladonna muttered.

Weiss gasped. "You know I'm a Schnee?"

"Oh sweetie, you are the spitting image of your old man." Corleone taunted. "Of course I know you're a Schnee."

"Anyway, here's the reality of your situation, brats. Someone, who is willing to go as far as I am for power…do you brats really think you can do anything to me?" Corleone taunted. "Don't. Make. Me. Laugh."

Ruby smirked. "It's not really a question of whether we think we can do anything do you…it's that we have to, so put up your dukes and get ready to fight. More importantly, get ready to lose."

"Team RWBY, move out!"

The battle began, Hansel continued to run through the gorge. However, something else began running through his mind as he made his way to the location of the battle. _There's still something that doesn't add up._ Hansel thought to himself. _There was supposed to be some "King" that rules this gorge. Where is that thing?_

Indeed, there was a King of the Gorge. A powerful Grimm, in fact; one that Corleone and his men could not kill. In reality, that thing could not be killed by a bunch of two-bit mobsters. They had to install motion-sensor turrets stolen from an Atlas base just to push that thing away from their headquarters. Thankfully, they had managed to keep the King at bay.

And so, the King of the Gorge slithered about in what was left of his domain. If the Grimm could grimace in frustration, the King would. And just what was this Grimm? An eight-headed beast with beady red eyes. A rare but deadly Grimm known as the Black Orochi; an eight-headed King Taijitu.

Just one is strong enough to wipe out an entire settlement single handedly. One horrifying tale in particular was when a settlement of three hundred people was devoured by a Black Orochi in the span of a single night. Even the Huntsmen who had been assigned to protect that settlement were unable to stop it.

Above this particular Black Orochi there were brief gleams of light that fell from the heavens. The Black Orochi hissed at the gleams as they landed on the ground. A black cloak blew in the wind from the impact. Then, the owner of the cloak gazed up at the Black Orochi, who trained all eight of its heads on the new arrivals. The black-cloaked man gaze back at the Black Orochi. He stared at the Black Orochi through his mask, a simple skull-mask that hid his identity from all who did not already know of him.

A few of the skull-man's comrades gazed at the Black Orochi all backed away in fright at the sight of the Grimm. The skull-man shook his head as he brandished a long staff. "Stow your fears away." He said. "You have nothing to fear as long as I'm here."

The skull-man smirked beneath his mask as the Black Orochi hissed at him with its eight heads. "So, this is the infamous King of the Gorge." He mused. "…I'm disappointed."

The Black Orochi hissed angrily as though it could understand the skull-man's insults. Then, it reared its heads back, preparing to lunge at him. The Black Orochi's eight heads vanished into the slipstream as they lunged at the skull-man.

However, almost immediately, the skull-man vanished into a slipstream of his own. The comrades of this man struggled to watch as he sped around the heads of the Black Orochi, which suddenly froze in-place, mid-lunge. The only reason they were able to keep up at all was because of a golden light that gave his location away.

The skull-man landed gracefully on the ground behind the Black Orochi. He lowered his staff as the golden light faded around it. Then, as soon as the light was gone, the Black Orochi exploded into black miasma.

Seven seconds; that was all it took for this man to kill one of the most threatening Grimm in recorded history. The Black Orochi was no more, dead at the hands of a far superior predator. One of the skull-man's comrades almost fell over at the sight of this carnage. An older member of this group saw the young man's disbelief and chuckled. "You're new," he noted, "don't worry, you'll get used to it. The chief's even stronger than him."

"But still, he's pretty amazing too. That is just…Reaper for you."

The man known as Reaper walked back towards his teammates. "Okay," he said smugly, "that was a nice and quick workout. But, we've got a job to do. The sooner we steal Corleone's Dust, the sooner we can all go home as triumphant heroes. So, let's get moving!"

"Yes, Sir!" Reaper's teammates yelled in unison.

Back at the battle between Corleone and Team RWBY, the mob boss grinned with sheer malicious glee. "I have to admit, it's been awhile since I've had some real exercise, I wonder if I should savor it."

Ruby immediately set forth her first strategy. "First formation!" She yelled. "Go, White Dwarf!"

Weiss and Yang immediately moved forward. _The Schnee and the bimbo with the tits, huh? Fine by me._ Corleone thought with a grin.

Weiss narrowed her eyes with fury. She did not know why Corleone knew her father, and she did not care at the moment. All she knew was that if she did not fight with all her might, she would most likely lose her friends. She could not allow that. She would deal with the implications of the Don knowing her father later.

White Dwarf was a very simple formation. A strong offense mixed with a strong defense. Weiss quickly cycled through Myrtenaster's chamber to her Ice Dust. "Let's go!" Weiss yelled, creating a large glyph in front of her and Yang.

Corleone threw a punch forward as the glyph erected a wall of ice between himself and the girls. The punch created an explosion of fire that destroyed the wall, kicking up a thick mist in the process. "Shit!" Corleone cursed in frustration.

Then, Yang suddenly appeared from the mist. "White Dwarf, bitch!" Yang yelled, throwing a punch of her own with Ember Celica.

Corleone grunted as Yang struck him in the stomach. Then, Yang unloaded a shotgun shell into him, pushing him back. Yang smirked, thinking she was going to send the fat bastard flying with that punch. However, Corleone then dug his feet into the ground, bracing himself and stopping himself from skidding too far.

Yang's eyes widened in disbelief. _He shrugged off a blast from Ember Celica…_

Corleone grinned. "Well, that tickled." He taunted Yang. "Come on, brat, did you really think that would work?"

Yang smirked as multiple fireballs came streaking out of the mist like comets, courtesy of Weiss Schnee switching from ice to fire. Corleone was peppered with the fireballs, stunning him. Just like that, the White Dwarf strategy continued, with Weiss now switching to offense in order to provide Yang a sort of defense for her next move.

"Well of course it tickled." Yang growled. "A punch like that had to have bounced off that disgusting gut of yours."

"So let's really see that belly of yours jiggle you fat bastard!" Yang yelled, firing off long-ranged shells.

Corleone just frowned at that statement. "Now there's no need to be rude, I just enjoy basking in my wealth." He muttered, switching his prosthetic limbs to lightning dust.

Corleone threw a simple punch forward that discharged a tremendous amount of electricity that formed into a defensive barrier. Yang's shotgun shells sailed into the barrier, only to have their momentum stopped and then fall to the ground. "My turn now!" Corleone yelled, rocketing forward with bolts of lightning.

"Yang, fall back!" Ruby yelled. "Blake, Scarlet Night!"

Blake quickly created a shadow clone that moved in front of Yang, who managed to get herself away from Corleone before he could throw a punch of his own at her. Yang's eyes widened, still feeling the force of his punch in spite of the distance she had managed to gain.

Blake's shadow clone took the hit, which then exploded, blinding Corleone. Then, Blake and another shadow clone rushed forward. Blake peppered Corleone with bullets from Gambol Shroud while her Shadow Clone leapt towards the Mob Boss.

"RAH!" Corleone let out a furious scream, discharging more electricity that destroyed the clone.

Blake quickly created another clone as Corleone turned his attention to her. The clone took the hit, allowing Blake to put some more distance between herself and Corleone. Then, Ruby sped in to fight while Corleone was distracted. This was the "scarlet" part of the Scarlet Night strategy. A purely offensive move that overwhelmed opponents with the speed of Team RWBY's two fastest members.

Ruby reformed herself and slashed Corleone, making him stumble for a brief moment before balancing himself once more. However, that provided Blake the opportunity she needed to wrap his neck with Gambol Shroud's kusarigama form, pulling him off balance once again. Another shadow clone rushed in, exploding in front of Corleone. Ruby once again assaulted Corleone with a slash before firing a high-caliber bullet in midair, letting her momentum carry her a safe distance from him.

"Little brats!" Corleone yelled, grabbing Gambol Shroud and discharging electricity from his prosthetics once more, delivering a devastating shock to Blake in the process.

"Blake!" Yang called out to her partner.

"Now take this!" Corleone yelled, punching the ground and sending out an extremely powerful shockwave that hit all four members of Team RWBY.

The girls only had time to let out shrieks of pain as their skeletons became visible for a brief moment. By the time the literal shockwave let up, they were already stumbling about, trying to regain their bearings from the attack. This gave Corleone the opening he needed to begin picking them off one by one. _First, the toughest of the bunch._ He trained his attention on Yang Xiao Long.

Corleone pushed off the ground, leaping towards Yang and cocking one of his prosthetic fists back while charging more electricity into the blow. However, Corleone underestimated Yang's recovery time and managed to avoid the attack just in time by leaning to the side. The girl's hair still stood up from the static electricity coursing around her. She felt the force and gasp.

 _Oh shit, if that had landed, I'd have been taking a dirt nap!_ Yang realized as she suddenly found herself remembering Hansel's lesson.

" _Fight conservatively"..."don't take too many stupid hits"...get out of my damn head!_ Yang could not help but feel frustrated. _The last thing I need right now is Teach's lessons running through my mind when I'm trying not to die here!_

Weiss' eyes widened, horrified at how Yang had almost taken what would have been a fatal blow. Without thinking, the girl summoned a glyph in front of her, and out came a Boarbatusk made of ice.

Weiss gasped at the sight. _I...successfully summoned again?_

Weiss then watched as the Boarbatusk charged Corleone. Yang saw the Boarbatusk and took advantage of the opening Corleone had left when he attacked her. The blonde brawler threw a powerful uppercut into Corleone's jaw, sending the mobster reeling. Yang even emptied a shotgun shell from Ember Celica into the man for added effect.

Corleone stumbled backwards from the blow, and was then nailed in the side by Weiss' summoned Boarbatusk. Ruby smiled as she recovered from the electric shock she had received earlier. _Nice work both of you!_ She thought, proud of her teammates.

 _I don't get it...what was different this time?_ Weiss wondered to herself.

The brief celebration was cut short when Corleone regained his balance and struck the Boarbatusk in the snout, making it shatter in almost an instant. "You would not believe the men I had to sacrifice to get away from your bitch of a sister's summoning abilities! Hell, it was those summoning abilities that cost me my fucking hands in the first place!" He snarled angrily at Weiss. "It was months before we thought it was safe to do business in Atlas again! Months of profit, lost because of her!"

Weiss was surprised by this. Winter was not the type of person who would maim her opponents like that, even if they were filthy mobsters. Was it perhaps when she was a less experienced soldier? She could not think of that now.

Corleone then calmed down and smiled with a sort of dissonant serenity. "Well, not like I hold a grudge. These new hands are way better."

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "So my sister and my father, you've had dealings with the both of them?"

Corleone laughed. "I guess you could say I've seen both the good and the bad side of your family." He noted. "Though, I think we might have vastly different definitions of those two terms."

Yang charged Corleone once more. "Quit taunting Weiss, you piece of shit!" She yelled. "Leave her family out of this!"

This time, Corleone was ready, the man weaved in and out of Yang's punches with the greatest of ease in spite of his massive girth. "She's the one getting all the taunts, and yet you're the one whose skin I'm getting under. Kinda funny don't you think?"

Corleone cocked his fist back. Sparks flew around the prosthetic fist. Yang's eyes widened, remembering the sheer force of the last punch she barely avoided. _Shit, shit, shit, shit!_ Yang thought frantically.

Yang barely managed to duck underneath Corleone's next punch, feeling the force of the punch blow past her. She heard Ruby yell and looked over her shoulder to see Ruby blasted away by the force of the blow. "Ruby!" She yelled.

"Nice try, brat." Corleone grinned at the red reaper.

Ruby then smirked and held Crescent Rose out in front of her. Blake then planted her feet firmly on the flat-end of Crescent Rose's blade and launched herself off. Gambol Shroud's chain from its kusarigama form wrapped around Yang and yanked her safely away from Corleone. Corleone watched as Blake flew towards him. "I won't fall for the same trick twice!" Corleone told her, pointing the palm of his hand at her. "I don't appreciate getting caught in explosives!"

Corleone then fired a concentrated bolt of lightning straight into Blake, only for the Faunus to suddenly reveal herself underneath the stricken one. "My Shadows aren't just meant for blowing up. They take the hit so I keep fighting!" Blake declared, rushing towards Corleone with Gambol Shroud now in machine gun form.

Coleone was forced to stand his ground as Blake peppered him with machine gun fire. "Stupid animal!" Corleone was not fooled by the bow, he knew that was a Faunus charging him.

Knowing that if he attacked Blake head-on, she would just avoid him with a clone and he would be left wide open by a counterattack. So, instead, he went for an attack that would leave Blake wide open instead.

Roaring, Corleone slammed the palms of his hands into the ground, discharging electricity that struck Blake in the legs and then travelled up her body. However, that Blake was once again revealed as a shadow clone. The real Blake was airborne...and wide open.

Corleone's prosthetic hands changed Dust once more into fire. He held one hand out behind him and was rocketed forward by flames like a jet engine. Blake's eyes widened for a brief moment before taking a devastating punch to the stomach that sent her flying back.

"Blake!" Yang's eyes turned red with rage at seeing her partner and best friend get knocked to the ground right next to her.

"Oh, don't worry, I've got plenty more where that came from!" Corleone declared, firing a large fireball at Ruby, Blake and Yang.

Ruby's eyes widened. They had no way of blocking that and she could not get Yang and Blake out of the way in time. Thankfully, Weiss made her presence known once again, regrouping with the team and creating a glyph to shield them from the fireball. Team RWBY could not help but breath a sigh of relief as the glyph barely held up against the fireball. They could still feel the intense heat around them, but they were safe.

"Thanks, Weiss!" Ruby said gratefully.

"Don't thank me yet, we're nowhere near out of danger." Weiss replied. "This guy has an answer to practically everything we've got. Torchwick was a cakewalk compared to him."

"Of course Roman was, that failure probably folded real easily against a bunch of brats like you. Everybody else knew that he sucked at fighting just as much as he sucks at poker!" Corleone clearly overheard that statement. "Do you want to know why he lasted as long as he did? Because he was good at hiding behind the skirts of powerful allies! Like that annoying little mute girl who constantly shadowed him, or that Cinder broad! I, on the other hand, earned this particular title: that which is handed out to only the one with the most power in the criminal underworld of Remnant."

"The Underworld King."

"Various kinds of Dust, an insane physical strength, and enough Aura to tank everything we throw at him." Weiss muttered in frustration. "Damn it, how are we supposed to fight someone like this? If he lands a few good hits on us, we're doomed."

Yang helped Blake to her feet. "You okay?" She asked.

"I've been better. But I just need to walk it off." Blake replied.

Yang looked over at Ruby. "Any ideas, Rubes?" She asked. "Because, honestly, even I'm starting to worry we might be out of our league here."

Corleone chuckled. "Don't be like that, it's not you kids did terrible. You're just outmatched here. Brats like you, who think you've got the whole world in their hands, they're always the first to go in battle as soon as they run into a more experienced opponent. Sure, you hit hard, but in the end, you're outmatched by a vastly superior combatant who has had to fight every day to survive and thrive. Do you really think you can take down someone like that? Really, with how hotblooded you kids are, killing you is a kindness before you run into something much, much worse."

With that statement, Corleone's two prosthetic hands lit up in a dark brown and white light respectively. "He's changing Dust again." Weiss noted. "...And this time he's using two!"

Team RWBY watched as Corleone's body was suddenly covered in what appeared to be a mixture of ice and rock, starting with his hands and then spreading like a virus. "Earth Dust and Ice Dust, mixed together to form a powerful armor." Corleone revealed himself in a makeshift-suit of brown and white armor. "I've toyed with you enough. I haven't heard anything from the Boarbatusk Brothers, so I'm left to assume that Kobalt took them out. So, I think I'll strike you down now."

"Great, if this guy doesn't kill us, Teach will for disobeying him like this." Yang rolled her eyes.

Ruby stared hard at Corleone's makeshift armor before giving a small smile as realization hit her. "Guys, we can still win this." She said simply.

"Ever the optimist." Blake muttered.

"Think about it though!" Ruby insisted. "People put on armor when they're afraid of taking a hit! He's desperate!"

"I guess that's one way to look it." Weiss sighed. "But still, Ruby, how do we break the armor?"

Ruby gazed at the approaching Corleone, trying to figure that out herself. _He's desperate to finish this because he knows Professor Kobalt is on his way back._ Ruby noted. _We could try to hold out, but playing not to lose isn't a winning strategy._

 _That armor is clearly going to slow him down. Dust creates whatever element it uses after all and ice and earth are solid matter. But the tradeoff is that he gains power and defense, which makes him even more dangerous. Our new advantage in speed means nothing if we can't…_

Ruby suddenly trailed off as an idea slowly came to her mind. _Speed? Yeah, that could work! He hasn't gotten a full dose of my Semblance yet, and with the armor slowing him down...yeah, it will work, I know it!_

"Okay, Team RWBY, I have a new plan." Ruby announced.

"You always do." Weiss muttered fondly.

"You three keep him pinned with gunfire and other long-ranged attacks. I'm going to attack him head-on." Ruby said simply.

"...Ruby that is a terrible plan." Yang said bluntly. "I should be the one to do that, I'm more suited for up-close and personal stuff."

"No offense, Yang, but this plan will only work if I'm the one going up-close and personal." Ruby insisted. "I need you three to just trust me on this."

Yang hesitated for a moment, but remembered that her little sister was the leader for a reason and nodded. "Okay, Rubes." She said obediently. "Weiss, Blake, you two ready?"

"Always." Weiss replied while Blake nodded simply

"Yang, Blake, scatter!" Ruby ordered, putting her plan into motion. "Weiss, make some Glyphs to increase my momentum. I'm going right up the middle."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Reckless as always." She muttered. "You're lucky you're so damn good at what you do."

With that, a line of glyphs was formed between Ruby and the Don. Corleone gazed at the line in interest and watched as Yang and Blake moved off to the side. Ruby then rushed the Don, right up the middle, just like she said. Her speed increased thanks to the glyphs and not her Semblance "A last gasp huh?" Corleone mused, putting up both his fists to bring down the annoying reaper girl.

Corleone then felt both Yang and Blake blast him with gunfire. He winced slightly as his ears rang from Yang's shotgun blasts from Ember Celica strike him in the side of his "helmet"-clad head. He also noticed that Blake's gunfire was laced with Fire Dust. "Shit, is she trying to melt the ice in my armor?" He wondered.

Ruby then appeared in front of the Don. Corleone gasped. _Shit, I was distracted!_

"Boom." Ruby said simply, whipping Crescent Rose out in front of her and blasting the Don with an explosive-bullet that sent the man stumbling.

Ruby was knocked back from the force of her own explosion, only to whip Crescent Rose behind her, fire again and propel herself back towards the stumbling Don, whose armor was surprisingly intact from the blast.

"Hiyah!" Ruby yelled, slashing at the man's midsection with Crescent Rose's blade.

 _Gotta aim for the center mass here, I need to be dead-on in order for this to work!_ She reminded herself.

"You little brat!" Corleone sneered, raising his fist to cave Ruby's skull in with a single punch.

Ruby then gave Corleone a confident smirk and suddenly sped up her movements at will, avoiding Corleone's much slower but more powerful punches with tremendous ease. Of course, all that insane power meant nothing if the mobster could not even hit his target. Ruby knew that as well as anyone

She had watched Professor Kobalt utterly decimate Yang in a spar after avoiding each of her punches with ease. And most importantly, the hit-and-run tactic she had learned from the professor just the day before? That was the key to her victory tonight.

"Keep hitting him with gunfire!" Ruby yelled before adding meekly. "But don't hit me, please."

Blake noticed the now-frustrated look on the Don's face. He had gone from insanely confident to frantic in the span of a few minutes. _So that's her game._ Blake realized before smiling, impressed with her leader's quick thinking. She shouted out to Weiss and Yang. "Keep firing!"

Ruby continued avoiding each of the Don's attacks. Then, as soon as one haymaker in particular had left a glaring opening, Ruby moved in and swung Crescent Rose across the Don's midsection again.

Growling angrily, the Don created spikes of ice one of his fists to increase his reach a little and stab at Ruby, trying to ignore the gunfire the other Huntresses were peppering him with. Then Ruby blasted him dead in the face with a bullet from Crescent Rose. Thankfully, Corleone's Aura managed to shield him from the blast, but it was another explosive bullet. It was definitely starting to wear on him.

Corleone flailed about angrily, like a giant baby throwing a temper tantrum. Here, Ruby sped up again. Blake, meanwhile, aimed down the sight of Gambol Shroud, melting the ice spikes on Corleone's fist with fire bullets.

Corleone came out of the blast, now focused on attacking Ruby entirely. He knew if he went for any of the shooters, she would be on him like white on rice. No matter how experienced or strong a guy was, if he went up against a group that knew how to fight effectively as a team, he would be the one at a disadvantage. Ozpin was a big believer in teamwork for a reason.

Ruby smirked confidently as she speedily weaved past all of Corleone's attacks, speeding up once more. She gazed at the spot on his armor she was concentrating her attacks on, smiling inwardly when she saw chinks and cracks beginning to appear in the middle. Her plan was working.

 _Okay, time to really kick things up a notch!_ Ruby thought to herself, now rushing in, in the middle of Corleone's frantic flurry of punches.

 _What is she…_ Yang shook those thoughts away, deciding to trust Ruby and continued firing on Corleone to keep him pinned down.

Thinking Ruby had gotten sloppy, Corleone, forcefully generated more earth around his right fist, intent on bringing her down with what basically looked like a golem's arm. Ruby then gave Corleone a victorious smirk and leapt into the air, transforming into her Semblance form and speeding above the Don as he threw a haymaker that generated another shockwave from the force of the punch.

Ruby immediately came out of her "Rose Petal" form and aimed right down the sight, shooting Corleone in the back of the head, making him stumble forward. Landing, Ruby ran at Corleone once more. Recovering, the mobster snarled as he generated an icy blade on his other arm. "You bitch!" He screamed, spinning around, intent on decapitating Ruby, only to have the ice shattered by fireballs that converged on it.

He looked off to the side to see that Weiss Schnee had made her move, using Myrtenaster to generate those fireballs. Now even more frantic, Corleone lifted his giant stone arm, feeling its slowness now. Ruby held Crescent Rose to the side and fired a stray bullet, letting the momentum from the blast help create a speedy but powerful spinning attack as she began slashing at Corleone's midsection repeatedly with the blade of her scythe.

Corleone winced, feeling the blade dig into his armor. Damn, that would hurt were it not for that. However, because he was still protected by his crumbling armor, he could still bring her down.

Then, Corleone felt something wrap around his stone arm. He turned to see that Gambol Shroud had struck once more. Blake Belladonna, winced as she visibly struggled to keep Corleone held back from throwing such a powerful haymaker at her leader and friend.

Yang then ran over and grabbed onto Blake, helping her best friend hold down Corleone. Weiss, meanwhile, launched more fireballs from Myrtenaster which sailed past Ruby, whose assault was slowing down with the momentum slowly dying, and struck Corleone in multiple spots on his body.

This proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back, as Corleone's armor suddenly crumbled away. Ruby managed to get in a few final swings that brought Corleone's Aura down to a dangerous level before finally coming to a stop. She briefly retreated to regroup and put the final phase of her plan in action.

Blake and Yang had actually been a great help, going off script like that. She had honestly not expected them to improvise by stopping that giant arm with Gambol Shroud, but she was glad they did. She had no plan for that.

"Let go!" Corleone demanded of Blake and Yang. "You stupid brats!"

Corleone frantically drew on what little Dust he had left stored up in his hands and tried to burn Gambol Shroud off of him. He swung a fiery hand to ward off Ruby. A last, desperate gasp to try to avoid what was to come.

"Need anything else from me, Ruby?" Weiss asked, coming up to her friend from behind.

"Give me that stuff you used to increase Blake's speed back when we fought that Paladin." Ruby told her.

Weiss nodded and smiled. "Finish him off for me, will you." She told her best friend as a glyph appeared beneath Ruby's feet.

Ruby's body lit up in a bright yellow light. Weiss had combined her glyphs with lightning dust, creating a time dilation field that gave Ruby an incredible boost in speed.

"I said let go!" Corleone yelled. "Get away! Don't you brats know who I am?"

"How could we?" Ruby taunted. "We're just foolish, stupid kids, remember."

Ruby sped towards Corleone, transforming into rose petals once again, but now shining with the bright, golden light of Weiss's time dilation field. The girl now looked like a shooting star, streaking towards the Don.

"Shit!" Corleone yelled frantically. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!"

Corleone tried to blast Ruby away with his flames, only for the flames to die out before they could come near her. His eyes widened in horror. He was out of Dust. Ruby then rematerialized and slashed right through Corleone's remaining Aura, tearing into his body and knocking the mobster off his feet.

"And guess what! You just lost to _us_! The foolish, stupid kids in way over their heads!" Ruby declared as Don Anthonio Corleone, top crime boss in three of the four kingdoms in Remnant was knocked flat on his back, arms splayed out and mouth open wide in a silent scream.

It was around this time, Hansel Kobalt finally managed to reach the battlefield, visibly worried for whoever was fighting Corleone. He then gasped in disbelief as Ruby landed the final blow on the Don. For a moment, he forgot his anger at being disobeyed when he realized just what had happened.

 _Team RWBY...they actually did it. They took down Corleone themselves. Those damn brats actually…_

Hansel then remembered he was supposed to be pissed at them, and his lips curled into a furious snarl.

Meanwhile, Ruby panted, exhausted from her efforts in bringing down the Don. She grinned triumphantly at the downed mobster. "Gotcha," she said, "so what'd you think of my hit-and-run strategy you big jerk?"

Yang laughed as she came up to her sister, flanked by Weiss and Blake. "You trying to take all the credit, Rubes?" She joked.

Ruby laughed sheepishly. "Right, sorry Yang, sorry Weiss, sorry Blake."

"To be fair, Ruby was the one to come up with this plan, as reckless as it was." Weiss folded her arms.

"And it was perfectly executed." Blake complimented. "Nice job, Ruby. He landed some good hits in, but I'd honestly call this our most dominant victory yet."

"And, we managed to deal a blow to the criminal underworld. Which I'd say is a bonus!" Yang added.

The quartet then heard the sounds of approaching footsteps. They turned and noticed Hansel's entry into view for the first time. Their combat professor had an unreadable expression on his face. Blake was immediately on guard. Her animal instincts immediately warned her that Hansel was not happy.

Ruby, unfortunately, had no such instinct. She ran right up to her teacher and cheered. "Check it out, Professor!" She said proudly. "We took down a mob boss! Isn't that awesome?"

Hansel took a deep breath. "You four just beat up a guy I've been trailing for a good long time." He noted. "You disobeyed my orders to remain at the campsite...but in doing so, you worked together and beat one of the most dangerous men in Remnant's criminal underworld. I have to say, I'm impressed."

Weiss and Yang looked at Hansel in confusion. Blake still looked very worried. Ruby, however, was utterly thrilled. "Really?!" She asked with stars in her eyes.

And then, Hansel exploded…

"Is that seriously what you expected me to say you idiot?!" Hansel screamed, making Ruby flinch and leap back in fear.

Hansel panted from that sudden outburst, trying to catch his breath. However, he continued his tirade without missing a beat. "What did I say? I certainly did not stutter when I said that none of you were to leave the campsite! You disobeyed a direct order from a professor! I could have all four of you expelled for this!"

Weiss, Blake and Yang all winced at how harsh Hansel sounded. "We were just trying to help…" Ruby said softly, trying to placate her teacher.

"And when did I ever give the impression I needed _your_ help?" Hansel harshly demanded. "Hell, why would I _ever_ need your help?"

"Teach, we just took down a dangerous mobster, the least you could do is give a bit of credit." Yang suggested.

"And I wouldn't have?" Hansel shot back. "Did you really think he was going to escape this place? Even if he did leave the gorge, he wouldn't have gotten far! I would've caught up and brought him down without dealing with _this_ headache! Don't you get it? I've been doing this alone ever since I started training to _be_ a Huntsman! I don't need help to take down guys like him, and I certainly don't need it from a bunch of gung-ho students like you!"

All four members of Team RWBY looked down in shame at Hansel's extremely harsh dressing down. Hansel then walked to Corleone. "Now I am going to restrain this guy." He said. "We are going to take him back to camp, and we'll continue this conversation later when I decide what an appropriate punishment is-"

Hansel froze in place as his battle instincts suddenly flared, big time. He looked back into the gorge, sensing a brand new presence for the first time, even though it had arrived much earlier. _What the hell is that?_ He wondered. _I'm picking up an Aura signature that's leagues above Corleone's...just who the hell is that?_

Hansel then remembered what else was that way. _Shit, all the stuff Corleone stole for Gray Jackal! If they're after those stolen goods, I need to stop whoever it is. Those goods need to be used as evidence to make sure Corleone goes away for good. And to prove the threat-level Gray Jackal is to the professor._

Hansel quickly moved up to the Don, who was slowly beginning to stir awake. He then noticed Hansel looming over him. "Oh well, look who's here." Corleone muttered sarcastically.

"Oh good," Hansel said, "you'll feel this and you'll understand what I want from you."

Without missing a beat, Hansel slammed his foot into Corleone's shin, shattering it. Corleone let out a scream while Team RWBY winced at how brutal it was. Hansel quickly broke the other one. "In case you haven't figured it out, I don't want you to move. I've gotta go keep someone from stealing what _you_ stole."

Hansel turned to his disobedient students. "You girls keep an eye out for him. Something else just came up. I'm going to go check it out." He ordered.

Hansel then turned to Yang. "You, hold my cloak. I want it back as soon as I'm done."

Hansel tossed his cloak to Yang. The blonde caught it, only to yelp in surprise at the weight as she was knocked over. "Yang!" Blake yelled worriedly.

"The hell? This thing weighs a ton for a cloak!" Yang exclaimed.

"What kind of thing came up?" Ruby asked curiously, ignoring her sister's small plight.

"The kind of thing that's none of your damn business." Hansel told her harshly as he began to move back into the deeper area of the gorge. "You're staying here."

Ruby began running after him. "But, Professor, we want to-"

Hansel spun around and looked Ruby dead in the eye, stopping the girl in her tracks with a harsh glare. "You're. Staying. Here!" He said in a tone that left absolutely no room for argument.

Ruby felt her body freeze from fear of Hansel's anger and frustration with her. Seeing she was not moving at all, Hansel nodded in satisfaction and moved deeper into the gorge. "You okay, Rubes?" Yang asked softly when Hansel was out of earshot.

"I thought he would be proud." Ruby whimpered slightly.

"We still disobeyed a teacher, Ruby." Blake pointed out. "There are still rules to follow."

"I'm sorry I dragged you all into this." Ruby said to them. "You're all in trouble because of me."

"We chose to follow you, Ruby." Weiss kindly reminded her. "Don't act like you're at fault for this."

"Whatever punishment the professor decides to give us, we'll take it...as long as it's not a repeat of that first day of class." Blake noted.

"You don't think he would do that again, would he?" Weiss asked. "I mean…"

"I know he promised to be better...but he was as angry as he was on the first day." Blake pointed out.

Yang remained silent throughout Blake and Weiss's small debate on what Hansel planned to do as punishment, as though she were contemplating different matters.

Meanwhile, Reaper and his team arrived at the spot where Corleone's men had stored all their stolen goods. "Dust, weapons, and all kinds of cool stuff." Reaper could not help but whistle in appreciation. "Say what you want about the man, but he definitely knew how to amass quite a collection."

Reaper then clapped his hands together. "Okay, chop-chop," he said, "gather as much as you can carry. One of you call the boss and let her know we're ready for pickup."

"You know, Reaper." One of his subordinates spoke up, taking note of the carnage around the stolen goods. "We could actually steal everything. It looks like someone took out all the guards."

Reaper took note of this and nodded. "Good thinking," he said, "but let's not get too greedy though. We can't afford to get caught with our pants down when we're in the middle of stealing shit."

Reaper then heard the sounds of a rapidly approaching mass. "Speaking of which," he muttered, "nevermind, just take what you can carry and let's get the hell out of here! Someone get the chief on the line, now!"

Reaper's eyes widened slightly behind the mask as a black fireball came sailing into view. He quickly drew his staff. Pressing a button, an apparatus rotated at the head of the staff and then a green blade appeared, transforming the staff into a scythe. The reaper's scythe had revealed itself in all its glory.

Reaper let out a yell as he swung his green scythe forward, generating a powerful gust of wind that cancelled out the fireball, which dissipated into the winds. Reaper's attacker then revealed himself. Hansel Kobalt leapt into view, Wolf Fang already drawn and ready to feast on the blood of this new enemy.

Reaper chuckled, recognizing the young man almost instantly. "Well, well, well, well, well," he said casually, "to think we'd be graced by the presence of the Blue Demon himself. Don't I feel...honored."

"Oh shit, that is the Blue Demon." One of Reaper's men said fearfully. "He looks young, but he's just as intimidating in person as the stories make him out to be!"

Hansel narrowed his eyes, recognizing the attire on his new opponent. "The Reaper." He growled.

Reaper chuckled and turned to his subordinates. "Change of plans again, boys." He said. "Belay that call to the chief."

Reaper turned back to Hansel and brandished his scythe threateningly. "I think it's time to add a new notch to my blade...as the Huntsmen Hunter!" He declared.

 **A.N: Corleone is down, but this is not over yet folks. The one called Reaper is still running around. And no, I don't play Overwatch. He has a true name, he just uses Reaper as something of a codename to play up his "Huntsmen Hunter" status.**


	14. Chapter 14: The Huntsmen Hunter

**Chapter 14: The Huntsmen Hunter**

On the side of good, the boogeyman for criminals everywhere is Hansel, the Blue Demon. Vice versa, the boogeyman for Huntsmen, on the side of evil, is the one who dresses like the actual Grim Reaper. A long time ago, there had been a Huntress by the name of the Grimm Reaper, who was a living legend. However, she vanished off the face of the earth without warning.

Little did the Huntsmen community know, the closest thing Remnant would get to a copycat would become the devil for them all. It began a few years ago. Huntsmen suddenly began turning up horrifically maimed. They were alive, but crippled and no longer able to continue their careers. When each of them regained consciousness and were able to talk of their experiences, they all frightfully pointed to the same attacker: a man in a black cloak wearing a skull mask.

This man became known as the Reaper. And due to his infamy in the community, he goes by another name: The Huntsmen Hunter. The man who attacks professional Huntsmen and cripples them. Nobody knows why he does it. But in the years he has been active, he has crippled almost a hundred men and women with no rhyme or reason.

And now, Hansel Kobalt was staring this man down. "I was wondering who was stealing Corleone's stolen goods." He admitted. "I honestly thought Gray Jackal was abandoning him, but instead I come across the fucking Reaper, of all people. Unless of course, you're working for Gray Jackal."

Reaper shook his head. "I'm not really interested in terrorism. Just doesn't sound as rewarding."

"And crippling Huntsmen is?" Hansel could not understand this guy's logic. "The more you take out of action, the more short handed people are going to be if Grimm suddenly attack."

"Oh please, and letting self-absorbed assholes, in it for the money and glory is a better deal?" Reaper countered. "If people want to live that badly, they should learn to protect themselves. It's bad enough being constantly sheltered by Huntsmen rips their survival instincts to shreds, but they allow themselves to be walked all over by an inherently corrupt system, filled with fake heroes who greedily wield their power and influence."

"So that's it, huh?" Hansel narrowed his eyes. "Hate the system, so you're just going to tear it apart and fuck everyone who gets hurt along the way. Yeah, you're definitely a kid underneath that mask, because that is unbelievably petty."

"I'm at least your age." Reaper replied.

"Well, frankly, I don't really have a right to be pissed off for all the Huntsmen you've crippled." Hansel noted. "I work alone, so it's not like it's personal or anything like that."

"But your little 'crusade' affects people who are just trying to live." Hansel continued with a glare. "You really think giving them their 'survival instinct' back is going to improve things?"

"Bullshit! You're just looking for ways to justify your response to whatever it is that pissed you off." Hansel growled. "Regardless, I'm not letting you drag people into this hell of a life just so you can keep attacking Huntsmen whenever you want."

"Life is already Hell." Reaper reminded him.

"In case you haven't noticed," Hansel snarled, "this place is called 'Remnant', not 'Ice Cream La La Land'."

"I'm well aware that life is already Hell here," Hansel narrowed his eyes as black flames suddenly appeared on his hand, "but my hell doesn't have to be theirs!"

Reaper smirked behind his mask before turning to his teammates. "You guys might want to stay back for this." He ordered them.

Reaper looked back at Hansel, only to see a large fireball rocketing towards him. He quickly brandished his scythe, which still had its green blade. He swung the scythe diagonally and cut the fireball in half with the assistance of razor winds that were generated from the blade.

As soon as the fireball dissipated, Hansel was right in front of him. Reaper's eyes widened briefly before dodging just in time as Hansel swung upwards, kicking up a large cloud of dust and rocky debris.

Reaper reappeared, surprisingly standing sideways on one of the gorge walls. The green blade of the scythe suddenly changed to a yellow one. "Take this!" He yelled, swinging the scythe downwards and generating a bolt of lightning that thundered downwards into the cloud of dust.

Hansel saw the lightning and blocked the bolt with the flat end of his sword, gritting his teeth. "Shit," he muttered, "wind and lightning?"

Reaper leapt from the gorge wall. Lightning cracked around the yellow blade of his scythe. "Hiyah!" He yelled, swinging the scythe at Hansel, intent on cutting him down and frying his nerves with electricity.

Roaring, Hansel managed to redirect the lightning from earlier, away from him and blocked Reaper's scythe. Electricity crackled around them. The two briefly separated, vanishing into separate slipstreams.

Off to the side, Reaper's team watched the battle, stupefied by the sheer power and speed both men were showing off. "Man, the Blue Demon's insane." One noted. "He's going head to head with Reaper! I've never seen a Huntsman do this well against him."

"That's just what you've gotta expect." The eldest of the team, an older gentleman with a scar over his left eye, folded his arms. "Before their reputation went down the crapper, the Kobalts were revered as born winners. They must've did something in a past life, because they hit the talent jackpot back in the day."

"Well, they must've done something horrible in a past life too, because…" another trailed off.

"Yeah, I know." The old man nodded. "Never has there been a tale where a family, so strong and so revered, ended up being so reviled. Just goes to show you what happens when you take your talents too far, no matter what your reasons are, and you end up going places man was never meant to go."

Reaper and Hansel reappeared from their respective slipstreams multiple times, weapons bashing together and sparks flying around them. Reaper then put some distance between the two of them and smirked, tightening his grip on the scythe noticeably. His blade then turned from yellow to red. "A new color?" Hansel narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Now, burn!" Reaper yelled, swinging his scythe and firing an arc of fire at Hansel.

Hansel grit his teeth and tanked the flames easily. He was a Kobalt, and thanks to his Semblance, he had a natural resistance to flames. Then, Reaper emerged from the flames, his scythe blade now colored white.

Instinctively, Hansel blocked the blade, only to suddenly have Wolf Fang's blade covered in a sheet of ice. Hansel finally caught on to Reaper's weapon. "I see, you've got Dust stored up in that pole of yours."

"A little something I built after seeing my boss' weapon in action." Reaper admitted. "What can I say, imitation is the highest form of flattery!"

Hansel quickly put some distance between himself and Reaper before the Huntsmen Hunter could knock him off balance and leave him open to an attack. Hansel then enveloped his entire free arm in fire as he blasted a powerful wave of flames that actually put Reaper on guard. He quickly spun his scythe out in front of him, creating a block of ice to shield himself from the flames.

Now seeing him open, Hansel stomped his foot on the ground, shooting upwards like a rocket with the black flames acting as initiative. He calmly tossed his blade from one hand to another and then ran his hand onto the blade. "Now you burn." Hansel said calmly as black flames melted the ice, igniting his sword.

Reaper looked up in time to see Hansel swinging his blade down, sending a large arc of black flames at him. The assassin let out a gasp before being enveloped in a fiery explosion that knocked his teammates back from the force of the blast.

Meanwhile, Team RWBY, still reeling from the harsh dressing down they received from their teacher, let out a gasp when they heard and felt the explosion from deep inside the gorge. "Whoa," Yang gaped in disbelief, "just who the hell is he fighting in there?"

Blake turned to Corleone, who had recovered enough to talk after having his kneecaps busted by Hansel's feet. "Hey, is that one of your guys the professor is fighting in there?" She demanded.

"How the fuck should I know?" Corleone demanded. "But probably not, he took out all my guys."

Weiss almost called him a liar, called him something, called him anything. But she could not bring herself to speak to him, or look him in the eye. She was afraid if she did or say anything to him, he would taunt her even more about revelations regarding her family and how they had clearly done business with him.

Ruby, meanwhile, listened to the destruction happening deep within the gorge with a look that was a mixture of worry, longing and sadness on her face. She was sad at being yelled at so harshly by her teacher. She was longing to try and prove her worth. And she was worried that Hansel might be in trouble.

"Umm...are we sure the professor is going to be okay?" Ruby asked softly.

Blake heard this and sighed, knowing where this was going. "No, Ruby," she said, "we've done enough damage tonight. It's best we just stay right here, do what the professor says, and try to make sure we don't get expelled."

Weiss sighed. "Ruby, Blake's right." She said, "I'm glad we did what we did. Even if the professor wants to deny it, I truly believe that we did our part in making sure a scumbag like the Don here, gets put away for a long time."

"Hey, don't underestimate lawyers, kid." Corleone taunted. "Of course, I'm sure you'd know that, considering your old man."

Weiss glared at Corleone, who turned his attention to Ruby. "And as for you, little missy." He was now taunting the leader of Team RWBY. "Must be hard, huh? And after you went out of your way to say that brat is actually a 'nice guy' when you get to know him. Hey, I'm an asshole, but I'm honest about it. I don't hide behind some fancy schmancy title like Huntsman."

"Hey, asshole, shut up." Yang glared at Corleone before turning to Ruby and continuing in a much softer voice. "Ruby, I know how you feel. But at some point, we need to look at how things are around us and say: 'that's enough for one night.' And we've done enough. We beat up a mob boss. We thoroughly pissed off our teacher to the point where he might actually want to expel us. We've done enough. It's time to just...wait things out. We need to wait for Teach to come back."

Wait things out...wait for the professor to come back…

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait…

Ruby's eyes widened as some rather unpleasant memories were triggered by that simple word: wait.

It was supposed to have been just a fun day on the playground. Ruby was four and Yang was six. Yang was pushing Ruby on the swings. Taiyang was watching them both. Then, Ruby took one look at the other kids and their families and something changed in her mood. Yang noticed it, Taiyang noticed it. But when Taiyang tried to ask her what was wrong, Ruby simply ran back to their home.

Taiyang then found her in her and Yang's bedroom, crying her eyes out. "What's wrong baby girl?" He had asked, taking his youngest daughter into a tight embrace.

Ruby's tearful question made Taiyang's blood run cold and the color drain from his face. "Why do all the other kids have a mama and we don't? Don't we have a mama, Papa? Don't we?"

Taiyang tensed at that question. "Of course you do, sweetie." Taiyang reminded her. "You've seen pictures of her."

"Then...where is she?" Ruby sniffed. "Isn't she coming home to see us? How long do we have to wait, Papa?"

Taiyang fell silent for a moment. Ruby looked up to her father and saw that he was now in tears. He pulled Ruby into a tight embrace now, weeping freely. "I'm sorry, sweetie." Taiyang told her. "God, I wish things were different."

Ruby was still young, and could not understand much. But in that single moment, she understood and her world came crashing down around her. She did have a mom. But she had a mom that was never coming home to her, no matter how long she waited. And so, she sobbed with her father for hours.

Outside the door, Yang could only weep in sympathy for her little sister…

Wait. Just wait. For Ruby Rose, that was the worst thing anyone could ever tell her to do. Then, without thinking, her body moved on its own. Yang, Blake and Weiss all gasped in horror as Ruby transformed into her rose petal form and sped deeper into the gorge. "Ruby!" Weiss and Blake both yelled in concern, almost running to help her, only to be stopped by Yang.

Here, Yang Xiao Long stepped up, and asserted herself as a figure of leadership in the team leader's absence. "Stay with the mobster!" Yang ordered them. "I'll go after her!"

Yang did not wait for either of them to respond and she ran after Ruby, frustrated with both her little sister and herself. _Damn it, I really screwed up here!_ She thought. _I'm sorry, Sis, I should've nipped this in the bud sooner!_

Yang knew exactly what was going through Ruby's mind, because it was almost exactly what went through her's, once upon a time. _In the end, we're not just sisters because of our dad's blood...we're sisters because we both share the same pain: we both waited for a mom that was never coming home, and I never got the chance to help you through it!_

 _Fucking big sister of the year, Yang._ Yang criticized herself. _Now Ruby's going to get herself in even more trouble with Teach because of some trauma she never fully got over!_

Back at the fight, as the flames cleared around Reaper, the assassin was revealed to have managed to survive the attack, but his Aura had taken a hit as a result. He gazed at the flames around Hansel's blade with newfound respect.

 _I thought there was something off about his blade._ Reaper noted. _Nowadays, it's considered unheard of to have no Dust or gun-attachments to enhance your weapons. It may look like an ordinary katana, but there's Fire Dust laced all over the blade, making it highly flammable._

Reaper then noticed the black flames surrounding him, still burning strong. _Damn, if my Aura wasn't as stellar as it is, that attack would've been rough. I still felt it a little. And I can still feel the heat of those flames and they are intense. Such is the power of the Purgatorial Flames, the Kobalt Family Semblance._

Reaper then regained his composure and smirked at Hansel. "No matter," he said, "now that I fully understand just how you fight, slaying the demon is going to be a foregone conclusion."

"Yeah, uh-huh, whatever." Hansel brushed him off before glaring at Reaper. "Now do me a favor and tell me a little bit more about yourself."

"Hmm?"

"You were telling your life story and your motivations earlier, but there's clearly more to it." Hansel noted before rushing Reaper, swinging Wolf Fang at his masked foe.

Reaper stayed on the defensive, calmly waiting for an opening to be given. "I was always under the impression you were some self-taught thug or a trained killer. But the truth is, you fight like a professional Huntsman." Hansel realized as he swung his blade at Reaper. "Your moves are way too refined to be otherwise."

Reaper smirked at Hansel's deductive skills. "Oh, do I?" Reaper chuckled. "Well, the only way to beat the enemy is to become the enemy."

"Cut the bullshit!" Hansel yelled. "The fact that you fight like a professional Huntsman means one of two things. You were either trained by a pro. Or, you went to one of the academies at some point. Either way, you had some sort of connection with the Huntsmen before your little crusade against them."

"Why attack the people you should be allied with?" Hansel demanded.

Reaper grit his teeth in anger behind his mask. "Because I would rather die than be in any way associated with any of them!"

Reaper's blade changed back to yellow. Hansel gasped before being knocked back by a bolt of lightning. "It's bad enough people like _him_ are Huntsmen! That itself is unforgivable!" Reaper yelled. "But look at you! The fact that you're allowed to operate in spite of your family history is despicable! The fact that you even try to continue on is despicable! Where's your shame, huh? Do you really think you can avoid the fact you're a Kobalt? Your family's sins are yours!"

Hansel froze at that, hearing voices ring out in his head.

 _It's that boy._

 _I can't believe he's allowed to roam freely. They should lock him up to make sure that he doesn't follow in his family's footsteps._

 _Careful, you don't want him to hear you. He might hurt you._

 _I'm just saying what needs to be said. Those experiments were unforgivable. The fact he could very well restart all their research is terrifying. Honestly, we shouldn't have to tolerate his existence. God only knows what he might do if he's allowed to live. What kind of weapons he might build. What kind of new human experiments he might start._

 _No kidding, his existence is a sin. It's a reminder of the awful things his family did in the name of science and weapons development._

Hansel's fists tightened before taking a deep breath, regaining his composure. "My family was a very sick bunch of people, who did sick and twisted things." He spat. "I will not defend what they did. The people they hurt with their experiments. The people they hurt with the weapons they built. It's all unforgivable"

"But I don't fight for my family's honor. I fight for myself." Hansel declared.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the selfishness of a Huntsman." Reaper declared. "'It's all about me.' Me, me, me, me, me. If you really cared about the people, you'd march right up to the top of this gorge and take a damn swan dive without any Aura to protect you."

Hansel actually winced at that. Even Reaper's teammates were looking at the man in shock. They had honestly not expected him to try and suicide-bait a target like that. "And you know what's really pathetic," Reaper continued, "you act like this macho, one-man-army thing of yours is going to change anything. Oh sure, you pretend to do it for yourself, but every single person who's ever said that just wants a little bit of respect. You're just a sad little man, trying to get a little bit of love and recognition from people who will always hate you. And frankly, to see that the Blue Demon's nothing but what I see in front of me, honestly pisses me off. No matter how powerful you are, you're still pathetic!"

Hansel gritted his teeth. "I mean, really, your personality would be less of a disappointment if you just owned what your family did. They claimed the things they did were for the sake of the future. You think your family's sick? How about the people who do horrible things to each other without even realizing it? Making others suffer in blissful ignorance! Oh sure, people say they shouldn't be judged for the things they do in ignorance, but try telling that to the ones who suffered because of them!" Reaper yelled.

"At least your family always knew what it was they were doing! They did what they did, and then owned it. You can't even do that, because of how lonely and desperate you really are!" Reaper taunted.

"SHUT UP!" Hansel screamed, eyes briefly flashing red before rushing Reaper. "Don't you dare talk about things you don't know shit about!"

Reaper smirked. _Gotcha._ His plan to make Hansel let his guard down with taunts had worked.

Reaper fired a powerful bolt of lightning from his blade, thinking he was going to strike Hansel right in the heart. Then, much to Reaper's surprise, Hansel cut the lightning bolt in half and was now training his katana on him.

 _Wait, was that his plan?_ Reaper thought in surprise. _To lure me into thinking he had let his guard down?_

Hansel swung his fiery blade, slamming into Reaper and sending him flying away. "Reaper!" Reaper's teammates said in concern as the Huntsmen Hunter was knocked onto his back by the force of the attack.

Hansel glared at Reaper. "Do you really think I haven't heard those things before?" He demanded in a low, dangerous tone of voice. "Do you honestly think I'm not aware of what the world thinks of me? Of my family? I'm aware of it all."

Reaper narrowed his eyes. _Touch a nerve enough, and you'll get a reaction. That's how I've caught each and every one of my targets off guard. But he's reacted so many times, it's almost like he's become numb to it. Does that mean there's another nerve I can touch to make him lose his composure?_

Reaper rose to his feet. _Hansel Kobalt, pathetic as you may be, you are definitely a formidable opponent._

Hansel gazed at his blade and noticed the Purgatorial Flames were beginning to weaken. _My Dust supply is starting to run low._ He noted. _Between attacking the gorge, fighting the Boarbatusk Brothers and now this asshole, I guess that's to be expected. I've gotta end this quick._

Hansel heaved a deep breath, desperately trying to regain his composure. _Shit, no matter how much I claim otherwise, he did almost get to me though. My head almost went blank from how pissed off I was. I could feel it. Guess I'm going to need more meditation sessions when this is over._

"Okay," Reaper chuckled as his blade now turned purple, "I think it's time we end this."

"On that, we can both agree." Hansel responded angrily, tired of this guy and his mind games.

Reaper then swung his blade across the ground in a long arc. Hansel watched as the debris of rocks cut up by the swing, rose up from the ground floated. "Shit, he even figured out how to weaponize Gravity Dust?" Hansel was surprised at how resourceful the guy was.

Reaper then laughed and began running towards Hansel. "Batter up, Kobalt!" He yelled, striking at the rocks with the flat side of his scythe, flinging the rocks towards Hansel, hard.

Hansel's eyes widened slightly at the speed and velocity before regaining his composure. He wildly swung Wolf Fang out in front of him, cutting up the projectiles and protecting himself with ease. All the while, Reaper continued closing the distance between them, batting more rocks towards him.

Hansel kept his eyes on Reaper as he continued to defend himself. _He's taken some big hits, but I'm not going to let my guard down. He's hoping to arrive while I'm in the middle of a swing and unable to defend himself._ Hansel noted. _But, that's what the Purgatorial Flames are for. I'll burn him again, and then stab him right through the heart while he's blinded by the flames._

 _He thinks I'm going for a direct hit, but it's a bit more complicated than that._ Reaper chuckled inwardly. _I'll smash my blade to the ground once I'm in front of him, making the ground rise from the lack of gravity. And then, while he stumbles from the sudden change in position, I'll switch back to lightning and strike him in the chest with a bolt so powerful, his heart will stop._

 _Normally, I just maim Huntsmen, but I think I'll do the world a favor and get rid of him. Even you, kind as you were, wouldn't be able to forgive the sins his family committed...right?_

And then, when both fighters were in front of each other, the same thought ran through their minds. _One strike will decide it all!_ They declared inwardly.

And then, a new voice rang out. "Get away from him!" Hansel's eyes widened at the familiarity of that voice.

Reaper could only let out a gasp as he was suddenly drop-kicked in the face by a fifteen year old girl. His mask thankfully protected him, but the force was somehow so great a part of it actually cracked and was knocked right off of him. Reaper was knocked onto his face, concealing it from Hansel and the new arrival.

Ruby Rose could only pant in exhaustion due to pushing herself so hard to reach Hansel in time. Hansel remained silent, unable to believe that Ruby had actually disobeyed him again. "Reaper!" Reaper's team called out to him in concern.

Reaper slowly rose to his feet. He frantically looked for his mask before finding it. His eyes widened when he noticed the crack. However, he put the mask on regardless and snarled when a part of it fell away. Reaper glared at both Ruby and Hansel, revealing a single, furious light-green eye in place of the broken part of the mask.

"You hit me." Reaper snarled at Ruby. "You hit me, you bitch!"

Hansel immediately got over his surprise and moved in front of Ruby, concerned that now Reaper was going to target her. "And just who the hell is this brat, Hansel, your ward?" Reaper snarled.

"Student to be exact." Hansel replied.

"Student, huh? Well, considering where we are, that means she must be from Beacon." Reaper hissed. "And if she's your student, that means that crazed lunatic, Ozpin, finally went off the deep end and hired a guy like you to be a teacher."

Hansel almost attacked Reaper for insulting Ozpin, only for Reaper to change to his lightning-scythe. "I hope you taught her to die, Hansel!" He yelled. "Because she is not going to leave this place alive for that kick!"

"Ruby, Teach!" Reaper, Hansel and Ruby all turned to see Yang arriving. To her credit, the girl managed to remain close behind Ruby thanks to cleverly using Ember Celica to speed herself up.

Reaper froze at the sight of the girl. His eyes now focused entirely on Yang. "Well, I'll be damned." He muttered with a hint of familiarity.

"Yang?" Ruby was shocked at Yang's sudden arrival.

"You ran off just like that, you idiot." Yang glared at her little sister like a mother scolding her child. "You had me worried sick!"

Hansel gazed at Yang in disbelief. _Two_ students who decided to just go and disobey him twice now? This was getting worse by the moment. Now he had to protect them both from Reaper.

Reaper then addressed Yang, and the subject surprised everyone. "You, girl, your name is Yang, right? Yang Xiao Long?"

Yang gazed at Reaper in suspicion. "Yeah, what about it?"

Reaper laughed while his teammates gazed at Yang in disbelief as though there was something about her that seemed familiar to them. "I don't believe this, talk about a crazy twist of fate." Reaper mused before addressing Yang again. "You know, the family resemblance really is uncanny."

Yang's eyes widened, immediately knowing what Reaper was getting at. "My mom!" She exclaimed. "You know my mom? Where is she?"

Reaper chuckled. "I didn't do anything to her if that's what you're getting at. I couldn't, really. The boss is alive and well, leading our tribe."

Reaper then gazed at Ruby. "Then that must make you...Ruby Rose, right?"

Ruby nodded, fearful of Reaper now due to his outburst earlier. "Yeah, you've got quite the resemblance too. Raven doesn't strike you as the sentimental type, but she still carries around a picture of her old team from Beacon."

Ruby's eyes widened as well. "Mom…" she said softly.

All of a sudden dark red portals opened behind Reaper and his team. Reaper sighed. "Looks like the fun's at an end." He mused. "So, which one of you called Raven?"

"I did, sorry Reaper." The old man responded. "I didn't think we should stay here longer than we had to. We need to report back to the chieftain."

"It's fine," Reaper brushed the matter off, "now that Yang's here, there's really no reason for us to stick around any longer."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Yang demanded as Reaper and his team started to leave. "Hey! I'm not done talking to you! Where's my mom?"

"What it means is that if you want to find Raven that badly, you need to do it yourself." Reaper responded. "Prove to Raven that you have the strength to make that dream a reality, and then you'll have her attention. Her words, not mine, albeit paraphrased."

"Anyway, you've all got as much Dust as you could carry, right?" Reaper addressed his men. "Let's go."

Hansel scowled. "You think I'm just going to let you leave? You still have a lot of crimes to answer for."

"I do. I don't really want to hurt Raven's daughter. There's no point in her proving her strength to Raven when fighting me's a foregone conclusion. That's the kind of test you can only fail." Reaper admitted. "But, I will hurt her, if I have to. And since you are a teacher now, you need to protect your students, first and foremost. Looks like I've found a new nerve to make you lose yourself, Hansel. I'll keep that in mind for the rematch."

"And as for you, Ruby." Ruby paled at Reaper turning his attention to her, "I do hope you keep your training up, because you now have my attention. I can't wait to find out the kind of Huntress you'll become. It'll depend on how bad I feel when I have to hunt you down like all the others. But, I'd prefer a fair fight, so keep getting stronger, okay?"

And with that, Reaper and his team entered the red portal and vanished from sight. Hansel breathed a sigh of relief. Now it was over.

And now, he had some disobedient students to punish.

"Professor, I…" Ruby began nervously before trailing off.

"Shut. Up." Hansel said, surprisingly calm at the moment.

Ruby winced, because it still sounded so harsh. "Is there a problem with your ears, Rose?" Hansel demanded. "Or are you just incapable of following orders? Because I know I ordered you not to follow me. And now, you've disobeyed two direct orders from your teacher. I could've just let you off with detention or a warning before. But now...do you not realize that you're making an even greater case to get yourself and your sister expelled?"

"...I just wanted to help." Ruby said softly.

"This again?" Hansel said harshly. "How many times do I have to say it before you get it through your head? I don't _need_ help. Certainly not from you"

Yang remained silent, allowing this conversation to play out. "But what if you did?" Ruby demanded. "What if you went off and never came back?"

"I'm not the type to just go off and die!" Hansel yelled back before immediately realizing that was the wrong thing for him to say.

Ruby looked down at the indirect insult towards her mother. Hansel sighed. "I had that fight under control, Rose." Hansel told her. "Do I know who would've won in the end? No. But I definitely had a better handle on things alone then I did with you in the way."

"But…"

"But nothing!" Hansel sternly yelled, getting tired of hearing the excuses. "You need to know your place! Maybe you will one day grow into a strong, respectable Huntress. But right now, you're just a student! You can't do much for anyone right now, and certainly not much for me! That recklessness combined with your lack of experience could get someone hurt, or worse."

"What if you died? Or your sister? Or any of your teammates for that matter?" Ruby paled at the thought. "Do you want that on your conscience? Do you think I want that on _my_ conscience? The Reaper was right about one thing. I'm your teacher, and that makes me responsible for you all. But, I'm also a Huntsmen, and that makes me responsible for the successes of my missions as well."

Hansel walked past Ruby. "Remember, people want results from their Huntsmen, that means they want to see their Huntsmen victorious. I can't win if I have to babysit you like this. And I _have_ to win to get the results I need."

"I'm sorry…" Ruby said softly, making Hansel stop in his tracks. His face briefly softened into a sympathetic look. "...I just wanted to help."

"I know," Hansel said, "but if you really want to help me, then don't. Because right now, Rose, I can't do anything if I have to be your teacher one hundred percent of the time."

Yang sighed, wishing he did not have to be so harsh. Surprisingly though, she offered no defense of Ruby this time. This time, she simply remained silent. "Now come on," Hansel said softly, "let's get to your teammates and head back to camp."

And so, the trio returned to Blake and Weiss, only to discover something that made them all worry. Weiss and Blake were standing over Corleone, applying pressure to his chest. Hansel's eyes widened and immediately ran over to them. "What is it?" He asked. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Weiss frantically responded, "he just suddenly started convulsing and foaming at the mouth. We weren't sure what to do…"

"Was it a cyanide tablet?" Hansel demanded of Blake.

Blake shook her head. "We...we didn't see anything." She admitted. "Sir, we're so sorry."

"Don't, _this_ wasn't your fault." Hansel pushed them aside and searched Corleone's body. "Son of a bitch, did he kill himself to avoid interrogation? What did he poison himself with?"

Hansel then felt something metallic underneath Corleone's shirt-sleeves. It was below his wrist, so maybe it was just part of his prosthetic hands. No, it was bulging out. This was something different.

Hansel quickly tore Corleone's shirt sleeve open and his eyes widened at the sight. Team RWBY looked sick. Corleone's veins had appeared and turned pitch black. And the source of this seemed to come from some strange metallic wristband attached to his arm.

Unhesitantly, Hansel tore the wristband off and immediately, strange purple liquid began dripping from what looked like pincers. Hansel's eyes widened in realization. "FUCK!" He screamed in anger. "Son of a bitch was poisoned!"

"Poisoned?" Blake was shocked. "Who would poison him?"

Hansel ignored Blake and generated a fireball in his hand. Roaring in anger, he tossed it at the wall of the gorge, making Team RWBY jump in fear. So close! He had been so close! But it was still so far away! Gray Jackal was still so far away! _She_ was still so far away!

"DAMN IT!" Hansel could only scream in frustration.

Meanwhile, all the way in Mistral, a dark-haired woman in a Grimm-like mask and a katana sheathed by her hip, watched as the team sent to Vale to steal from Don Anthonio Corleone, returned to the tribe through the use of her portal. She let out a small gasp of surprise when she saw one of her top enforcers ragged, panting and with part of his mask broken.

"What happened, Reaper?" She immediately demanded.

"What happened," a short-haired woman noted with a derisive smirk, "is that the brat got in over his head."

"Quiet, Vernal." The masked woman sharply told her other top enforcer. "I want to hear it from Reaper."

Reaper heaved a sigh. "Well, we had the misfortune of running into the Blue Demon. He seemed to have some sort of beef with the Don, and we just happened to get caught in the middle. Sorry, Raven. We could only get as much Dust and weapons as we could carry. Anything else would've just left us vulnerable."

Raven Branwen heaved a tired sigh and removed her mask, revealing a face that was the spitting image of Yang Xiao Long's. "It's fine," she brushed the matter off, "I do expect you to make up for this and raid other areas for supplies, Reaper."

Reaper shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, I know." He said. "Can we talk alone? There's more to the debriefing."

"Whatever you have to say to the Chief you can say in front of me, Brat." Vernal glared at Reaper.

Reaper glared right back. "And what I have to say to Raven is for Raven's ears alone, so deal with it, Vernal."

"That's enough you two, no arguing." Raven sharply ordered them. "I'd hate to have the Grimm on us just because you two can't keep your little rivalry under control. Come, Reaper, we'll discuss this in my tent."

Vernal glared at Reaper while the man smirked smugly at her. Raven and Reaper walked past the campsite of the Branwen Tribe and entered Raven's personal tent. "I must admit, I'm surprised, Reaper." Raven told him. "I've never seen you come back with part of your mask cracked."

"I'm going to need a new one." Reaper admitted. "I can't show the image of the reaper himself when my skull is broken."

"So, did Hansel Kobalt do that to you?" Raven inquired curiously, taking a seat at her personal table.

"No," Reaper admitted, sitting across from her, "a little girl got the jump on me."

This made Raven smirk. "Is that why you didn't want Vernal to hear this? She'd definitely never let you hear the end of it."

Jokes aside, Raven was curious as to why a little girl was with Hansel, and how she could have gotten the jump on someone like Reaper. She trained him herself after he came into her care. No kid should have been able to catch him off guard like that. "No," Reaper shook his head, "the reason I wanted to talk alone, was because I thought you'd be interested to know that the girl who kicked me was the spitting image of your old teammate, Summer Rose."

This caught Raven off guard. "What?" She said flatly.

"And shortly afterwards, a blonde showed up, demanding where you were. And she was the spitting image of you, minus the hair color." Reaper chuckled.

Raven's eyes briefly softened. "Yang." She could only say.

"Yep," Reaper nodded, "I met your daughter tonight, along with her half-sister, a girl named Ruby. Now, I was under the impression that those two were students of Beacon."

"That's right." Raven nodded.

"Well, that begs the question," Reaper pointed out, "what were they doing, hanging out with a full-fledged Huntsman like Hansel Kobalt, especially considering his reputation. No sane school would allow any of their students to go on missions with a guy like him."

"Now that I think of it." Reaper could not help but chuckle. "I do believe that he referred to Ruby as his student. Since she's a student of Beacon and his student, oh and now that I think of it, I heard Yang call him Teach. Well, with all that in mind, that could only mean..."

Raven narrowed her eyes in anger as realization hit her. She slammed her hand on the table in frustration and stood up from her seat. "And you constantly claim motherhood isn't for you." Reaper could not help but tease.

Raven glared at Reaper for his snide comments. "Shut up, and tell me everything that happened." She ordered.

"Are you asking me as my mentor or as the chief of the Branwen Tribe, Ma'am?" Reaper joked.

"Both, you should follow my instructions either way." Raven reminded him. "You are both my student and my subordinate. In both scenarios, I am your superior."

Reaper chuckled and reached for his mask. "If that's the case, why don't I remind you how much I truly respect you," he said as he began to remove his mask, "and answer not as the Reaper character I've developed, but as the real me."

Meanwhile, after angrily firing off his most recent fireball at the wall of the gorge, it suddenly occurred to Hansel that maybe he should tone things down a bit (before he risked destroying the crime scene by accident and attracting any far off Grimm).  
Now (somewhat) regaining his senses, Hansel sighed and then started twitching his fingers impatiently, as if trying to figure out his next move. Though relieved that Hansel's outburst was over (for now), Team RWBY as a whole still felt as if they were walking around eggshells at this point.  
Eventually however, Ruby was the one who decided to break the silence, and asked, "So what do we do now?"  
Turning around to face Ruby, Hansel replied, "Well for starters, we're going to have to report this mess to the Vale police, and then while I'm waiting, I'm going to keep watch and make sure nobody else sneaks by to mess with the remaining evidence."

Hansel heaved a sigh. "Fucking McKnight's going to love hearing about this." He muttered.

"McKnight?" Blake asked in confusion.

"Gordon McKnight, he's my...contact in the police. Professor Ozpin introduced him to me when I went out on my own."  
With the image of Reaper's escape still fresh on his mind, Hansel gripped his hand tighter in silent frustration. "Anyway, the important thing is I stick around and make sure nobody messes with any more evidence.  
"Don't you mean we?" questioned Ruby, "as in all five of us will stay behind to wait for the police?"  
"There is no 'we' in this, Rose," growled Hansel, "You four are going to leave and get back to the campsite, where you should have stayed in the first place."  
"But we're already involved as is," argued Weiss, "Don't you think Team RWBY should at least stick around to give their statements? We're witnesses!"  
"And you're also students who broke curfew," countered Hansel, "I'll tell the arriving detectives that you four are resting from your injuries, and will be in better shape to answer their questions tomorrow morning."  
"After breakfast, right?" cautiously asked Blake, who was twitching her fingers together nervously.  
Aware of what Blake was implying, Hansel sighed and then clarified, "I'm not making you four skip breakfast if that's what you're worried about, Belladonna. You four deserve detention, not starvation."  
Hansel then pointed out towards the gorge's entry point. "Now out, all of you." He said before adding in a calmer, more gentle tone. "Please. I don't want to see any of you for the rest of the night."

Yang stepped forward. "You got it, Teach. Come on, girls, let's get back to camp.  
"Yang?" Ruby asked softly.

"Enough, Ruby." Yang told her calmly, but sternly. "We've done enough for one night."

Next morning, Team RWBY could only watch while eating breakfast with the rest of their class as the Vale Police went in and out of the Gorge, taking either mobsters or stolen goods out. The other students were confused when Team RWBY was taken aside by an older gentleman with a thick, gray mustache and brown eyes. "You must be the students that are giving Hansel a headache, huh?" He mused. "I'm Captain Gordon McKnight, would you mind answering some questions."

They were basic questions, but they were huge in number. McKnight wanted to know every single detail, forcing them to spare absolutely nothing, including the fact they had disobeyed a superior.

"You four are lucky none of you got seriously hurt." McKnight told them. "I'm sure you all meant well, but disobeying a superior can lead to dangerous consequences."

Hansel then joined them. McKnight then offered a plate of donuts to the girls before turning away. "They seem like nice girls, Hansel." McKnight told him. "I don't think you need to expel them."

"That's ultimately up to me." Hansel muttered under his breath.

McKnight gave the girls a friendly smile. "Have a nice day, all of you."

Ruby was quick to wolf down most of the donuts before the rest of the team could get to them. "Oh, they may not be the same as cookies, but I'll take any sugary goodness I can get!"

"The Captain seemed nice enough, but that was still very tense." Weiss breathed a sigh of relief. "God I hope this doesn't get out to my family. I can't have my father finding out I was questioned by the police."

"Well, maybe consider the consequences of your actions next time." Hansel deadpanned. "I just want to point out, this isn't all your punishment. Your detention really starts when we get back to Beacon."

"What about expulsion?" Blake asked in concern.

"I will be asking Professor Ozpin his opinion on the matter." Hansel replied. "As he is the headmaster, he has the final say."

Hansel heaved a sigh. "I really didn't want it to come to this. This training exercise was going so well for you all." Hansel turned to Ruby. "I just can't for the life of me, figure out why you four had to go and shoot yourselves in the foot."

"Anyway," Hansel continued, turning away from them, "back to your assigned training. I don't want to hear any complaints if I seem like I'm running you four particularly hard on this last day. It's not a punishment if it's pleasant."  
Ruby's face fell at that statement, watching as Hansel left them. "I'm so sorry, everyone." She said to her team. "I got you guys in trouble."

Weiss sighed. "Ruby, we chose to go with you in the end. If we really didn't want to get in trouble, we should've thought things through."

Blake shook her head. "I get why he's upset, and I wasn't too fond of the idea at the time either. But, honestly, I do wish the professor was a bit more grateful. I mean, we did help, didn't we? We have a responsibility to fight criminals like the Don, just like everyone else."

Yang shrugged. "Yeah, but what if we did end up biting off more than we can chew, huh?" She asked, surprising her teammates. "That's been happening a lot lately."

"Yang?" Ruby was shocked to hear such things from her sister.

Yang gave Ruby a small smile. "Your time will come one day, Little Sister." She said kindly. "Just grow up a bit more, okay?"

"Since when do you talk like some sort of mystic?" Weiss asked.

Yang shrugged again. "Since now?" She offered. "I'm going for a walk."

"Where? We can't go away from the site." Blake pointed out.

Yang ignored the rest of Team RWBY and left them to their own devices. "Yang has been...oddly quiet since last night." Weiss pointed out. "Ruby, has she ever been like that?"

"A couple times." Ruby shrugged. "They usually involve...never mind, that kinda stuff is for Yang to say."

Inwardly, Ruby was a bit frustrated by what Yang had said. Partly because she knew she was right, and partly because it reinforced Hansel's anger from last night. _I just want to help._ She thought to herself.

Yang found Hansel supervising the rest of the class's training. Hansel was quick to notice her and acknowledge her presence. "Where's the rest of your team?" He asked.

"Fell behind," Yang replied, "they'll catch up though."

Yang then got right in Hansel's face and asked: "Can we talk? Doesn't have to be now. How about tonight, before curfew?"

Hansel raised an eyebrow at Yang's calm but determined demeanor, but nodded all the same. "Sure," he said, "I'm a teacher, aren't I not? I should keep my door open for my students."

Yang nodded. "No backing out, you hear? If you change your mind, I'm going to tell everyone how big and brave Hansel Kobalt was scared off by a heart-to-heart with a girl." She teased with a smile.

Hansel glared at her for that statement. Yang chuckled and began walking towards the rest of the class. "So, Teach, what've you got for me today?" She asked. "I'm very curious."

Hansel gazed at Yang in slight interest. _What in the world could she want to talk about?_

That night, Hansel was keeping watch just outside the campsite. Students were slowly beginning to turn in, one by one. While keeping watch, Hansel was typing up a report for Ozpin ahead of time so that he could be prepared for a full debriefing. Hansel gazed out at his students and heaved a sigh.

"Another career making day, Hansel." He muttered in slight frustration. "You promise to try and do better, but you scream your head off at four students on your first training trip."

"Sheesh, don't be too hard on yourself." A familiar voice made Hansel instinctively roll his eyes.

Putting away his Scroll for the moment, Hansel gave a nod towards Yang. "Alright, Xiao Long; you got the meeting you wanted. What's this all about?" He asked.

Yang got right down to business. "It's about how you treated Ruby last night."

Not entirely surprised by her response, Hansel sighed and continued, "Look, Xiao Long, I get that your sister means the world to you, but you can't realistically expect to shield her from every bit of criticism that comes her way."

Yang shook her head. "In case you haven't noticed already, I actually wasn't doing that last night," she replied, "what you didn't pick up on my out-of-character speechlessness?"

"I had more urgent things to worry about at the time, so no," admitted the professor, "then again, it was a welcome change of pace. But what you're telling me now begs a different question: if you're not here to criticize my criticism as usual, what's the actual reason for you coming here to meet me today in private?"

Yang heaved a sigh. "Listen, I don't want you to get the wrong idea." She said. "You had every right to be mad at Ruby. What she did was reckless. And even if I can let go of the fact that she took us into the gorge in the first place, I can't really ignore her recklessly going to help you in your fight against that freak in the skull mask."

Yang looked down. "She could've gotten a lot of people hurt, or worse. And I know better than anyone how much that can weigh on a person."

Yang then gave Hansel a smirk. "Besides, I don't think you were anywhere near as malicious as that first day of class. You seemed to care, Teach." She could not help but tease.

Hansel rolled his eyes. "If you disagreed with her actions, why follow her?"

"Well, she's still my little sister. Someone's gotta look out for her."

"Okay, Xiao long." Hansel folded his arms. "I think we've danced around this enough. What is this really about?"

"What this is really about, is that I need you to truly understand Ruby, as I do." Yang replied.

Hansel raised an eyebrow at that statement. "And what else is there to know, exactly? That she means well? That she's got a lot of heart?"

"All that is true, but I think you need to take a step back and understand why all that is the case."

Hansel sighed. "I know most of the story, Xiao Long. Professor Ozpin told it to me."

"Professor Ozpin knows about Summer?" Yang was surprised before realizing why. "Yeah, that makes sense. She went to Beacon too, with Dad and Uncle Qrow."

Yang gazed at Hansel. "So, if you know, then why?"

"Why what?"

"Why'd you still get so mad, if you knew she meant well and why she acts the way she does?"

"Because everyone's lost someone." Hansel grimly reminded Yang. "In case you haven't noticed, the world we live in kinda sucks. I sympathize with her, I do. But we've all lost someone in this crapsack world of ours. Losing a loved one shouldn't make anyone special."

Yang could not help but chuckle. "Well, you're right about that. But, you are wrong about literally everything else."

Hansel gazed at Yang in confusion before sighing. "I said I'd hear you out, so explain."

"Just because we've all lost someone, does that mean we should just accept it?" Yang asked. "I mean, wouldn't a better way of handling it be making sure that others don't have to experience it in the future?"

"And where did you learn that?"

Yang smiled. "Ruby," she replied, "didn't teach it to me directly...it was more of a...lead by example kind of thing."

Yang gazed off into the distance, sighing in remembrance. "For as long as I can remember, this is what she's wanted. Fighting monsters, protecting people, it doesn't matter what the odds are. If someone's in trouble, she wants to help. Summer was the same way. She was Super Mom. The best mom a girl could ask for."

"Rose must've looked up to her."

Yang sighed. "She does, but it's hard to...Summer is...a distant memory to her at this point."

This caught Hansel's attention. "When Summer died, Ruby hadn't even started talking. And with Dad pretty much shutting down and going to work...we were pretty much alone together in our house on Patch Island."

"God…" Hansel muttered. To his credit, the thought of two children that young being alone in a house horrified him.

"You say that you already understand Ruby, Teach, but the thing is, you still don't." Yang pointed out. "For what it's worth, I think you're doing well in improving as a teacher, but there's still so much you don't understand about your students."

"You've got every right to be upset with Ruby, as you should be. I know you don't want her possible death due to her own recklessness on your conscience. Nobody does." Yang continued. "But that's exactly why you need to be patient and continue teaching her like you do for the rest of us."

"Because no matter how hard you try, she's going to try to be the best Huntress she can be." Yang proudly admitted. "You can't stop her, even if you do have her expelled. And as a combat professor, it's your duty to make sure she's ready, never forget that."

Hansel seemed to consider that statement, but something still bothered him. "I still don't understand how you're okay with this." He admitted. "She's your sister...shouldn't you be trying to curb her recklessness?"

"I know I should," Yang admitted, "but like I said, you still don't get it. It's not just losing Summer that drives her. It's that she never got to know Summer, not like I did. It's not just about protecting people, it's about not being able to have any regrets."

"For Ruby, every single person out there is worthy of her protection," Yang admitted, "because deep down, to her, every single person has a precious life that could very well mean something to someone, even if that person doesn't yet know it. She doesn't want anyone to have any regrets like she has with Summer. She cherishes life so much, Professor. It's not that she has some sort of hero complex, she just loves people so much."

"To her, every single person could one day be a Summer Rose, even you. I don't know why this is surfacing more and more, but right now, I need to make a request of you. Not as your student, but as a concerned big sister."

"Please, don't hate my little sister. Help her get strong so that she can rise to the challenge her ideals and desires will bring. We'll probably never be friends because of your sour attitude...but as our teacher, you're the one she needs to count on the most."

Hansel felt his heart flutter slightly at Yang's heartfelt request. He heaved a sigh. "Like I said, I do sympathize with her." He said. "I...lost my mom too. I didn't even get to meet her. She died giving birth to me."

"I'm so sorry." Yang gasped in horror.

Hansel looked at his students. "Huntsmen are supposed to do everything in their power to protect others." He acknowledged. "I just...need her to understand that if she dies because she recklessly picked a fight she couldn't win...it renders her ideals useless."

"And she will," Yang assured him, "you just need to do your part to train her up so that she's ready. We'll accept any punishment you have for us, Teach. Just know that as soon as you're done with the punishment, we'll be right back in class for more training."

Hansel looked back at Yang. "So every single person is Summer Rose to her, huh?" He raised a curious eyebrow. "And because of that...she wants to protect them."

Yang nodded. "Summer was a great Huntress...but she was a mom, first and foremost." She pointed out. "And every person that dies in a Grimm attack, a home invasion, a robbery, a terrorist attack. That's someone's mom, dad, son, daughter, brother, sister, whatever. Ruby learned that at a young age, too young, really. And that's why she wants to protect everyone, including you. I mean, come on, Teach, isn't there someone in your life that you want to protect, more than anything?"

Hansel almost said no, but without thinking, he responded. "Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"Of course," Yang nodded, "we've all got someone we want to protect, more than anyone in the world. Dad taught me that one. It's just that, Ruby has so much love in her heart, she wants to protect everyone. And that's why, whether it was right or wrong, she rushed right into Neverland Gorge last night."

"Just...please try to keep that in mind, Sir. I know you have every right to be upset, and I'm behind you one hundred percent. I just thought you should know what it is that makes my little sister tick."

A lot of what Yang pointed out to Hansel, he remembered from his conversation with Ozpin. However, hearing all of this from Ruby's older sister...somehow made this conversation even more enlightening. Yang then yawned. "Well, I said my piece." She said. "Goodnight, Teach. We're heading back to Beacon tomorrow, right?"

Hansel nodded. "Goodnight, Xiao Long." He said to her, clearly deep in thought.

As Yang left to return to her sleeping bag, Hansel's voice stopped her. "And Xiao Long? Thanks. That was...a good talk."

Yang smirked. "I'll soften you up yet, Teach." She teased.

Hansel did not have the heart for a comeback at that statement. He simply watched Yang return to her sleeping bunk. Hansel gazed out in the distance and saw the police working. He found himself yawning too. "I guess I can turn in for the night as well." He muttered. "McKnight and his boys are here after all."

Hansel then reached inside his poncho and brandished the strange wristband that had poisoned Corleone. "And after that, figure out just what you are." He muttered.

And with that, the final night of the Neverland Gorge training trip came to an end. By tomorrow afternoon, the students would be back at Beacon Academy, ready to continue on with a renewed purpose and a new direction in how to become stronger Huntsmen.

 **A.N: A lot to unpack in these last two chapters of the Neverland Gorge Arc, huh? The Wild Hunt version of Hero Killer: Stain (who is frankly a lot more petty than Stain), and some insights into Hansel's psyche. I think the important thing to note about his outburst this time, was that his anger was more like a strict older sibling, scolding the younger ones for reckless behavior. It's subtle, but Hansel does definitely care about his students. He's just really bad at showing it. Hope everyone enjoyed the last two chapters. See you next time.**


	15. Chapter 15: Importance of Perspective

**Chapter 15: The Importance of Perspective**

 _"Do you believe in destiny?"_

 _"Yes, I do."_

 _An arrow through the heart. Pyrrha Nikos was then vaporized in an instant by the power of Cinder Fall. As grief struck her like a freight train, she looked to see her other fallen friends. Weiss and Blake injured. Yang missing an arm. And then, it all came crashing down in one single emotional outburst…_

 _"PYRRHA!"_

Ruby Rose woke with a start, drenched in sweat. She looked over to her alarm clock and saw that it was 3 in the morning. The girl pouted slightly, irritated with this sudden turn of events. It had been so long since Ruby had a nightmare. She had honestly forgotten what they were like.

"Ruby?" Weiss groggily spoke up, disturbed by Ruby's nightmare. "Are you still awake?"

"Y-yeah," Ruby could only respond as the events of the nightmare came back to her, Pyrrha dead, Yang and the others all maimed to various degrees. Was she...back at the Vytal Festival in that dream?

"Go back to sleep then." Weiss tiredly ordered. "It's the weekend, and I'd prefer to be well-rested and prepared for whatever punishment Professor Kobalt has in store for us."

Ruby frowned, remembering what Hansel Kobalt had said to them upon arrival back at Beacon the day before. _"You four will report to my office tomorrow afternoon."_ Hansel had said. _"I'll have settled on what I plan to do to you lot by then."_

The girl frowned at the memory. Hansel was still so mad at them for providing backup. She was well aware of her responsibilities as leader. She knew that if Weiss, Blake or Yang had gotten hurt, or worse, it would have been on her. She did not need Hansel reminding her of that. Good teacher he may be, he had no right to criticize her for wanting to help.

Ruby then found herself remembering her nightmare once again. _What was that nightmare all about though?_ She wondered. _That...that was the Vytal Festival. That was Cinder. That was...the night the Vytal Festival was attacked. It's like...I'm dreaming about a alternate version of what happened that night. But I know it didn't happen that way. So why am I dreaming about it?_

Ruby then looked at her alarm clock once again and heaved a sigh. _I'm too tired to think about this. I just...want to get today over with._ She decided, laying back down to try and fall asleep. Tomorrow is another day, and she had more important things to deal with.

The next day, Hansel Kobalt found himself standing in Professor Ozpin's office again to discuss his conduct, involving his students. Ozpin had told him to take Friday off to rest, after hearing about the incident involving the Reaper (damn you, McKnight. Hansel took a deep breath and stared his mentor and superior dead in the face, ready to face the music. "You wished to speak to me today, Professor Ozpin?" He asked, wondering if he was to be reprimanded.

Ozpin gave Hansel a small smile. "Yes I did, Hansel." He said, gesturing to a cup of cocoa. "I made an extra cup for you. Please, enjoy it."

Hansel nodded and took a seat in front of Ozpin's desk. "Thank you, sir." He said, a bit more relaxed now, because Ozpin had gone to the effort to make him comfortable.

Hansel took a sip of cocoa, visibly relaxing at the taste. "I take it you read my reports on the students?" He inquired curiously.

Ozpin nodded. "I had a busy morning, Hansel." Ozpin admitted. "Between reading your reports on the conduct of your students and Captain McKnight's report on what happened, this weekend has definitely become more stressful."

Hansel heaved a sigh. "My apologies, sir." He said obediently. "I did not expect the Reaper to become involved with my mission."

"I'm not angry about that." Ozpin promised. "You shouldn't be held responsible for unexpected events that were clearly beyond your control."

Hansel hummed thoughtfully at this. "That guy was trouble though." He noted. "Especially if he is working for Raven Branwen. That is Qrow's sister, right?"

Ozpin gave a grim nod at that. "After Raven fell out with our group, I was hoping to simply leave her in peace, but if she does have someone as dangerous as the Reaper in her tribe, that cannot be ignored. I knew many of the Beacon-based Huntsmen he attacked. I cannot, in good conscience, ignore his crimes. And I certainly cannot ignore Raven for harboring him."

"The only question now is, how could she have known that the Don was moving in Vale? And to think they'd strike when we did. This is too strange to be taken as a mere coincidence."

Hansel hummed thoughtfully once more. "If I may, Qrow may have been duped by an informant." He suggested. "Well, not necessarily duped. I think Raven might've planted an informant for Qrow, so that we'd do the heavy lifting and her men get some of the Don's shipments."

Ozpin sighed. "This is going to break Qrow's heart. No matter how much he wants to deny it, his sister still means a lot to him."

Hansel frowned. "He better get used to it." He said. "Qrow cannot become a liability to us because of some familial attachment to a woman like Raven. The fact she's leading the Branwen Tribe is bad enough, but now she's got the Huntsmen Hunter on her side."

"Hansel, you need to be more empathetic." Ozpin sternly reprimanded the boy. "I understand why you feel the way you do about situations like these, but not everyone has the same approach as you."

Hansel fell silent at that statement. "Qrow's been dark for awhile. He must be chasing a lead." Ozpin noted. "I'll inform him of Raven's new status once he reaches out to us with more information."

"Now, to move on to more personal matters," Ozpin continued, "like I said before, I took the opportunity to review the reports on your students. I'm very happy that you've found their strengths and weaknesses on this training trip, and I'm also happy that you're taking steps to work on remedying those weaknesses."

"Thank you, sir." Hansel nodded, satisfied with Ozpin's praise. "I'm glad to report that these students don't have zero potential. Give me enough time with 'em and I can definitely make them into semi-decent Huntsmen."

Ozpin chuckled at Hansel's backhanded compliments, making Hansel blush slightly in embarrassment. "So you say, I think they'll turn into great ones." He claimed.

Ozpin's face then became stern and serious. "Now, why don't we talked about what happened between you and Team RWBY." Ozpin said to him.

Hansel stiffened at this before bravely standing his ground. "Professor, I stand by my actions this time. Team RWBY chose to disobey direct orders and put themselves at tremendous risk in the process. Ruby Rose in particular showed a blatant disregard for the rules. For a girl who wants to be a hero that saves everyone, she is eager to step into an early grave before she can accomplish anything."

Ozpin sighed. "I suppose I owe you an apology in that regard." He admitted. "I should've told you that Team RWBY would get themselves involved if they caught wind of what you were doing."

Hansel's eyes bulged at that statement. "What? You know, the least you could've done was tell me that. I would've operated more discreetly."

Ozpin could not help but laugh a little. "I'm sorry, it must've slipped my mind."

"But really though, Hansel." Ozpin chided. "Are you sure you have any room to criticize Ruby for her recklessness? You're not exactly a shining example of careful action yourself."

Hansel blushed in embarrassment once again. "Sir, I really need you to take my side here. I've got the strength to not get myself killed, running off and fighting guys like the Reaper."

Ozpin smiled knowingly. "It sounds more like you just couldn't stand the idea of them dying." He noted.

Hansel glared at Ozpin, making the headmaster raise his hands in defense. "I'm just kidding, Hansel." Ozpin assured him. "Still, you are right about one thing, it is disturbing they chose to stay involved when Reaper made his presence known. It's easy to forget their recklessness when it's foes like Roman Torchwick. But the Reaper…"

"Which is exactly why I'm a little pissed off right now." Hansel noted. "I don't know how that fight could have ended, but they screwed over my chances at taking him down when I had the opportunity."

Ozpin heaved a sigh at Hansel's frustration. "Indeed," he admitted, "I myself can't ignore this. If Reaper can fight you on even terms, then they had no business involving themselves. We're teachers first and foremost. We shouldn't be encouraging our students to pick fights they can't win."

Hansel nodded in agreement. "Now, tell me, Hansel, what do you think their punishment should be?"

Hansel took a deep breath. "I'll be honest, sir, I was considering expulsion for them. They put themselves in danger, and in doing so, conducted themselves in a manner unbecoming of Huntsmen."

"I take it that isn't what you settled on?" Ozpin inquired curiously.

Hansel nodded. "I...gave it some more thought after we returned. I don't want to expel them. They were doing so well before this whole mess. But they still need to be punished. I think I've settled on a punishment for them, with your approval at least, Professor."

Ozpin smiled and nodded. "Hansel, you know I trust you to make the right decisions when it matters the most." He said to the young man.

"Thank you, sir." Hansel bowed his head. "I'll be dropping by the tailor in town later today. I've got an order they're supposed to have filled today."

Ozpin smiled knowingly. Quickly figuring out just what his apprentice was planning. Hansel's expression then turned serious. "One last thing, sir." He said. "About Anthonio Corleone's death?"

Ozpin turned serious. "McKnight was quick to do an autopsy on Corleone." He explained. "He contacted me this morning. It was some sort of necrotoxin."

"Hansel," Ozpin continued, "tell me something, do you still have the wristband that you think killed Corleone?"

Hansel folded his arms. "I went to Oobleck shortly after we got back yesterday. I thought he'd be the best person to talk to about this kinda stuff."

"Oh, and how do you figure?" Ozpin inquired curiously.

"Oobleck's a history expert." Hansel pointed out. "If anyone knows the origins of objects, it's him. He even told me as much when I brought it to him…"

" _While technology varies, you can often tell their origin by the design."_ Bartholomew Oobleck had explained. _"I've never seen technology like this before. However, give me some time and I think I can figure out which kingdom this wristband originated from."_

Ozpin hummed thoughtfully at that statement. "Bartholomew is right." He said. "Well, with Corleone dead and the criminal underworld now crippled with their leader gone, I think we can relax for a bit and let Bartholomew go to work."

"Once he finds out where the tech came from, we'll know where to investigate next." Hansel pointed out. "Whoever strapped that wristband on the Don is probably someone pretty close to kingdom officials. Might be a connection with Gray Jackal we can take advantage of."

Ozpin nodded in agreement. "Just remember to keep your focus on your students, Hansel." Ozpin reminded him.

Hansel nodded, but clearly was brushing the matter off. "Any word on the other Maidens yet?" He asked curiously.

"Not yet," Ozpin said, "unfortunately, finding the other Maidens will be like finding three needles in three haystacks."

Hansel frowned slightly. "And I guess that means Salem and her forces haven't made any other moves yet? Makes sense I guess. Probably still regrouping from the Vytal Festival."

Ozpin nodded. Hansel then looked Ozpin in the eye. "Rose talked to me about Salem, wanted to know what I knew. I told her the truth, I knew the exact amount of what you told her."

Ozpin sighed. "The more I tell Ruby, the more involved she'll be. I just...can't bring myself to fully involve her just yet. Summer was closely involved and...I just don't want her to do anything before she's ready. Her powers could very well be our best hope at beating Salem from what I understand about the Silver Eyes. We need her to be ready for that."

Hansel frowned slightly. "Is she really our best hope?"

"I'm afraid so, the Silver Eyes have proven themselves to be an effective weapon against everyone else, especially the Grimm." Ozpin reminded Hansel. "Does that...not sit well with you, Hansel?"

"If she wants to be a hero that badly, she needs to be ready to do her part." Hansel was quick to deny any concern he had for Ruby.

"And yet I can sense trepidation. Why, Hansel?" Ozpin asked curiously.

Hansel sighed. "Honestly, I don't know, sir." He admitted. "But I will say this, that girl is in for a lot of pain in the future. This world doesn't allow optimists like her to exist. This world's going to eat her alive."

Ozpin hummed in acknowledgement. "And yet," Hansel continued, "I just can't bring myself to do anything except warn her. I know what this world does to people like her, better than anyone. I should be telling her to grow up, harden her heart and just focus on keeping people alive, instead of some silly dream of saving the world."

"But you can't bring yourself to do it. So, you do the next best thing, you warn her." Ozpin noted. "But you know that won't change who she is. You know by now that Ruby is not the type of girl to back down from her beliefs."

Hansel chuckled humorlessly. "And I'm a wuss because I know this and don't try anything else to stop her." He noted. "I've done a lot of things for the sake of my mission. And yet I can't tell one little girl how stupid her dream really is."

"Maybe it's because it's not that you find it stupid, it's just that you can't bring yourself to believe in it." Ozpin offered.

Hansel considered Ozpin's words. A few memories long past flashed through his mind, briefly. Two little children, playing, smiling. A festival roaring in the background. Fireworks shooting off into the sky.

"Maybe you're right," Hansel shrugged before sighing, "or maybe I'm even more stuck in the past than I thought."

"Oh? And what makes you say that?" Ozpin asked curiously.

"It's nothing," Hansel brushed the matter off, surprising Ozpin. Hansel was not one to keep secrets from him. "Anyway, if that's all, Professor, I will take my leave. I'm sure Ms. Suede will have my order ready soon."

Ozpin nodded in understanding. Hansel rose from his chair and exited Ozpin's office. As he rode down the elevator those memories played through his mind again. _No matter how foolish it is...I can't forget my promise._ Hansel reminded himself before sighing. _I really am stuck in the past...but I guess the past is all that keeps me going at this point._

With that grim proclamation, Hansel Kobalt was back in the halls of Beacon, now waiting for the chance to make his way to a certain tailor's shop in Vale.

Meanwhile, Team RWBY was trying to enjoy their day off in their room. Blake was reading. Yang was doing pushups. Weiss was browsing news on her scroll and Ruby was pacing.

Blake looked up from her book at Weiss. "Any word on the Don's death? Or anything else regarding the Neverland Gorge?" The Faunus tried to make conversation as the quartet awaited their punishment from Professor Kobalt.

Weiss shook her head. "It looks like they're keeping things under wraps. And rightfully so. There's no reason to start blabbing about things like that. That's for the tabloids, the trashy journalists that no one should take seriously."

Yang chuckled. "Leave it to Weiss to hate the tabloids." She could not help but joke in the midst of her pushups. "Scandals and nobles tend to go together, don't they?"

Weiss glared at Yang. Yang realized she had gone too far and sighed, stopping her pushups and taking a seat on the floor. "Sorry, Weiss," she said, "just trying to lighten the mood. I guess the things the Don said still bothered you, right?"

Weiss nodded. "Weiss, you should probably go to the police about this." Blake suggested. "If Corleone was doing business with your dad…"

Weiss shook her head. "Corleone is dead." Weiss reminded them. "A dead man can't provide any sort of evidence against my father. And even if he could...Father would just lawyer up and pay off enough people to get out of any jail time."

"So just going to the police would be a waste of time, huh?" Yang sighed. "What a load of crap. We're supposed to just stay quiet?"

"Weiss is right." Blake admitted. "As much as I'd love for justice to be served, her father is untouchable at the moment."

Yang then noticed that Ruby was still pacing with a pout on her face. The elder sister gave her younger one a stern gaze. "Your face is going to stick like that, Rubes." She warned her. "And you're way too adorable to be pouting like a little kid."

Ruby grumbled at that. Yang sighed. "Still steaming about your argument with Teach, huh?" She hit it right on the head. "You need to let it go, Ruby. We were in the wrong and you need to accept that."

"It shouldn't be wrong when we're only trying to help someone." Ruby insisted.

"It is when we're putting ourselves in danger, trying to fight dangers like that Reaper guy." Yang calmly reminded her. "Torchwick was one thing, but that guy was something else. He was leagues above Torchwick, and definitely stronger than Corleone."

Yang then narrowed her eyes. _And the fact that a nutcase like him is working for my mom makes this even worse. I know Uncle Qrow said he doesn't entirely agree with how she does things...but would she really keep a guy like that around? Just what kind of woman is Raven Branwen?_

Yang then returned her focus back to Ruby. "I know you mean well, Ruby, but I think it's time to accept facts. We got chewed out because we're still just kids who got in over our heads. We got off lucky now. But what if it happens again and we're not? It's like Teach said: do you really want anyone's death on your conscience? I know I don't."

Ruby thought over Yang's words. Deep down, she knew her sister was right. However, even so, she could not help but feel like she needed to get one more person's perspective on the matter. And there was only one person she could talk to about this; someone she did not often interact with.

"I'll be back in a bit." Ruby said, surprising her teammates. "There's...someone I need to talk to about this whole thing."

"You're not going to complain to Professor Ozpin, are you?" Yang asked curiously before frowning. "You're better than that, Ruby, don't be petty."

"Of course not," Ruby shook her head, "I just...need one last perspective on this before I move on."

With that, Ruby left Team RWBY's dorm. Blake looked up from her book again at the retreating Ruby in concern. When Ruby was out of earshot, she spoke up to Yang. "She's going to be okay, right?"

"Yeah, Rubes is just steaming over what happened. It's not often you get chewed out for just trying to help." Yang noted. "But Ruby's smart. Once she clears things up with...whoever it is she's going to talk to, I'm sure she'll be back to normal."

The question now, is who was Ruby Rose going to talk to? Again, it was someone odd, considering their lack of interactions. However, she was still the best person to get advice from on this matter. And now, standing in front of her office, Ruby knocked on her door without hesitation. "Professor Goodwitch, are you there?"

The door opened, revealing Glynda Goodwitch, who seemed surprised by Ruby's presence. "Ms. Rose," she said, "this is...unexpected. You're usually only here when I have to remind you to pay attention in class."

Ruby blushed in embarrassment. "Are you busy, Ma'am, I'd like to talk with you about something."

Glynda looked at Ruby and surprised the girl with a motherly smile. "Ms. Rose, I'm a professor." She reminded the young girl. "Never forget that we exist to help students like you when they need it. Come in, I needed a break from what I was doing anyway."

Ruby entered Glynda's office and was not surprised to see how neat and perfect it looked. There were various paintings, an inviting emerald couch, and a picture of a somewhat younger Glynda with a dark-haired boy that seemed familiar to her.

"Take a seat on the couch," Glynda gestured to it with her riding crop, "you'll find it more comfortable then a chair in front of a desk."

"Thanks," Ruby said, taking a seat and noticing one painting in particular, it was an exhausted little girl, pressing forward towards an emerald-colored castle, "that is an interesting painting, by the way."

"Oh?" Glynda noticed where Ruby was looking and smiled. "That one's my favorite. It's called _Road to the Emerald Castle._ It details the struggle of the innocent trying to reach a peaceful, tranquil life away from the chaos."

"The artist, Emeril Gale, was heavily interested in the world's struggle towards peace." Glynda continued. "He was entranced by what he viewed as the beauty of our world's persistence in fighting and moving forward to that very castle, a symbol of peace and safety away from the evils of Remnant. And so he created that painting, with the castle becoming the ideal sanctuary for the people."

"It's beautiful." Ruby complimented.

Glynda smiled and nodded. "A nice little reminder of what we're working towards." She mused before returning to the subject at hand. "So, Ms. Rose, what would you like to talk about?"

Ruby was briefly surprised at how open and welcoming Glynda was being. For a moment, she could not help but wonder if this was the true Glynda Goodwitch, and not necessarily the strict professor they had all gotten used to. Chucking those thoughts away, Ruby got herself back on track. She nervously fidgeted in her seat as she explained her issue.

"I...got in trouble with Professor Kobalt again." She admitted.

Glynda frowned slightly. "Oh dear, did Hansel cross any lines again?" She asked.

"N-nothing like that," Ruby assured Glynda, "we just...had a bit of a fight about something."

Glynda sighed, realizing what Ruby was getting at. "I see," she muttered, "Hansel did mention something about students who put themselves in unnecessary danger and got in trouble for it. I take it that was you and the rest of Team RWBY?"

Ruby nodded in embarrassment. Glynda smiled. "Why don't you tell me everything that happened?" She suggested. "I'll listen to everything you have to say, and then I'll tell you what I think. No judgement, I promise."

Ruby nodded again and told Glynda everything. How she had seen Hansel operating alone, and how she wanted to help, which got the rest of Team RWBY involved in the process. How Hansel had yelled at her for disobeying him. Then how she interfered in his fight with the Reaper, leading to Hansel yelling at her again for not only disobeying him, but for putting herself in unnecessary danger. And finally, she told Glynda how she felt alone in her feelings on the matter, because everyone on her team agreed with Hansel.

"I just don't know how I'm supposed to feel about this." Ruby admitted. "Huntresses are supposed to help people, but Professor Kobalt's mad at us for helping him. All I wanted was to make sure he didn't die. I just can't understand why he'd be so mad about something like that. I mean, I can, I could've died too, and so could the rest of my team. But still, isn't that what we signed up for?"

Glynda, true to her word, had remained silent and non-judgemental throughout the entire process. But now that Ruby was asking questions, she felt it was time for her to speak up. "Well, first, Ms. Rose." Glynda told her. "You are not a Huntress yet. You are still a student, all four of you are. Let me be clear, while I do admire your candor towards others, you had no business involving yourself in Hansel's mission."

"But…" Ruby began.

"Silver eyes or not, you are still just a child." Glynda gently told her. "You may be special, but you still have to work hard and climb your way to the top just like everyone else. There are no shortcuts to becoming the hero you want to be, Ms. Rose. Focus on your training, first and foremost."

"Even if it means sacrificing someone else?" Ruby asked.

Glynda sighed. "No, we send students into the field on supervised missions because we want them to help save lives. You should never sacrifice someone else for your own sake, Ms. Rose. That spits in the face of everything we teach you."

"However, this is different. You interfered in the work of a professional. Special or not, you need to remember that the pros can handle themselves as well, and Hansel is one such pro for a reason, young as he may be."

"My mom was a pro too." Ruby muttered.

Glynda sighed. "I know this is a sore subject for you, and I'm sorry about that." She said. "I really do wish I could put this more delicately, but there's really no other way to say it."

Ruby tensed at that statement. "I...guess you have a point." She conceded. "But still, why is it so hard for Professor Kobalt to understand?"

Glynda shook her head. "Ms. Rose, it's not that Hansel doesn't understand. It's because he understands. That's why he's so stern with you."

"Huh?" Now Ruby was confused.

"I know he can seem a little cold." Glynda admitted. "I know that better than anyone. It took a whole year for him to truly open up to me. But the truth is, Hansel's heart is one of the kindest out there."

"Really?" Ruby was convinced there was plenty of good in Hansel, but Glynda saying that was still a bit unbelievable to her.

Glynda nodded. "I can assure you, Hansel doesn't hate you, or anyone else on your team. I doubt he even thinks about hating any of you." She promised. "And he certainly didn't yell at you, or decide to punish you because of any malice towards you or your team. He did it because he cares. It's what you call tough love."

"Tough love, huh?"

Glynda nodded. "The truth is," she said with a sad sigh, "if there's one thing Hansel hates more than criminals, it's people who get hurt or die for his sake. He's a stubborn boy, he'd rather take everything on his own than accept any sort of help. When he first went into the field, he outright refused any sort of assistance from teammates. Professor Ozpin ultimately relented because he knew how important Hansel's goals were to him. I wish he hadn't, personally."

"But that stubborness is part of his kindness." Glynda got back on track. "Hansel just can't stand the thought of good people dying. The only reason it may seem like he brushes death off, is because he feels as though he needs to stay focused on what's in front of him, so more people don't die."

"In a sense, he's the perfect person to learn from when it comes to being a Huntsmen." Glynda admitted. "In the eight years I've known him, there has never been a harder worker than Hansel. There's never been a more caring heart than Hansel's, even if he does have an odd way of showing it. And there is none more dedicated to the path of the Huntsman than Hansel. It's...what he lives for."

 _Which is concerning._ Glynda added inwardly.

"I know better than anyone how flawed he is." Glynda admitted. "Like I said, he's stubborn. He has a bit of a problem with authority that isn't mine or Professor Ozpin's. And he's got quite the temper when faced with something he doesn't agree with."

"But, blood or not, he's still my son, and I also know better than anyone what his best qualities are." Glynda concluded. "And I can assure you, Ms. Rose, those qualities were on full display when he chewed out your team and decided to punish you."

Ruby thought over Glynda's words. "Why is he like this though?" She asked curiously.

Glynda shook her head, a sad look in her eyes. "That is not my place to say." She said. "Hansel doesn't like talking about his life, and you should respect that."

Ruby frowned, making Glynda look at Ruby in confusion. "Does understanding his life mean that much to you?" She inquired curiously.

"I just...wish I could better understand him." Ruby admitted. "Hearing all the stuff you're saying, I get that he means well. I just want to know what made him this way, so I can at least get where he's coming from. And maybe if I better understood him, we could get along better."

Glynda raised an eyebrow at how profound the young first year sounded. "Uncle Qrow once told me we're shaped by our experiences." Ruby explained. "I mean, it was his way of justifying being found drunk on our house's front porch, but I think that applies here, doesn't it?"

"Drunkard he is, your uncle is right." Glynda nodded in agreement. "But Ms. Rose, I'm going to make this perfectly clear: you are to stop digging into Hansel's private life, for his sake."

"For his sake? What's he hiding?" Ruby asked.

"It's not what he's hiding, it's what he simply doesn't want to remember. Again, it is not my place to say." Glynda said before her expression softened into a pleading gaze. "Ruby, please, don't force him to relive it all. The last thing he needs is someone digging up his past and forcing him to confront all those horrible memories."

Ruby was stunned by Glynda's pleas, moreso that she called her by her first name. Glynda never did that. Deciding to drop the matter for now, Ruby nodded. "I won't." She promised. "Thank you for the talk, Professor Goodwitch. I think you put a lot in perspective for me."

Glynda smiled kindly at Ruby. "Of course, that's what I'm here for." She said. "And Ms. Rose, feel free to drop by if you ever need to talk about other things. With the way things are right now, Professor Ozpin will be more focused on your growth as a Huntress. A little girl talk here and there might help you cope with it all."

"Things really are changing around here, huh?" Ruby noted.

Glynda nodded. Ruby thought it over and smiled. "I'd like that." She said. "Thanks, Professor Goodwitch."

Ruby then exited Glynda's office. The Beacon Professor, heaved a tired sigh. "I'm sorry, Ruby," she said to herself, "I can't have you getting too close with Hansel as well."

"What he also doesn't need is someone he cares about abandoning him again." Glynda sadly proclaimed. "That boy is my son, and I have to protect him."

Later in the afternoon, Hansel Kobalt had just received a message from a place called Elf's Help on his scroll. It read simply: "Your order is ready, Hansel, come pick it up."

Hansel nodded in satisfaction and took the next ride into the city. As he made his way through Vale, which was still in the midst of being rebuilt from the Vytal Festival incident, he barely acknowledged those who gave him a wide berth at the sight of him. To his credit, Hansel managed to spin this avoidance into something positive. _If they hate me that much, they should be bunching up to keep me from my destination._ He noted. _They're making this walk pretty pleasant, actually._

Soon, Hansel was in front of Elf's Help, a local tailoring business. As soon as he entered, the sound of a bell rang out, signalling his entry. A dark-blue haired woman behind the counter was quick to greet Hansel. "Afternoon, Hansel." She said with a smile and a Southern drawl. "Got my message?"

Hansel nodded. "Yeah, thanks for getting this done so quick, Grace." He said. "I know it was kinda on short notice."

Grace Suede, owner of Elf's Help, brushed the matter off. "Hey, Glynda and me go way back. So, when her boy comes to me with a custom order, I make time for it." She said kindly. "Besides, it gave the twins a chance to practice on a tricky custom order. Great training for when they have to run this place themselves."

"Can I expect the same quality?" Hansel asked curiously.

"Of course you can." Grace grinned. "I trained those two to be damn good tailors."

Grace then looked behind Hansel and noticed her only other present customers subtly trying to exit the building, gazing at Hansel fearfully. Grace frowned at them. "Not buying anything today, huh?"

"N-no," the man said fearfully, "I think we'll take our business elsewhere."

Hansel sighed as the customers left Elf's Help. "Sorry," he said to Grace, "looks like I'm costing you business today. Usually I come towards the end of the day, but I had no choice this time."

"Bah, they were cheapskates anyway. Making a profit off of them would've been impossible." Grace scowled before calling out. "Elvis! Mr. Kobalt's here for his order!"

Instead of Elvis Suede, Ellie Suede, his twin sister, emerged from the back of the store, carrying four covered up articles of clothing, obscured by the coverings themselves. Grace frowned. "Now why are you carrying those things instead of your brother, Ellie?" She demanded. "Those are heavy."

"Sorry Mama," Ellie said in a Southern drawl like her mother's, "Elvis was stocking shelves in the back to organize our inventory. I figured I could do it, since he seemed busy."

Grace sighed. "Gods help me, to think I had to be blessed with twins who cared _way_ too much for each other." She said jokingly before ruffling Ellie's hair. "Thank you for your help, Ellie."

Ellie smiled and placed the bags on the counter. "Here's your order, Mr. Kobalt." Ellie said to the young man. "All were properly sized based on the measurements you provided for us."

Hansel nodded. "Where are the lucky ladies you bought these for, anyway?" Grace smiled knowingly. "Don't you want them to try it on."

"You guys are the best at what you do, Grace." Hansel reminded her in a non-emotive tone as he took out his wallet. "You're the only tailor shop I know, who's custom orders are so precise, you don't even have to try them on."

"Aww, you're going to melt this old lady's heart with all your casanova talk, boy." Grace grinned. "Anything else we can get you today?"

"Nah, just these. Custom orders are expensive as hell."

"A lady's gotta keep her business afloat somehow." Grace pointed out.

"I didn't say that was a bad thing, Grace." Hansel denied, handing her his card.

Grace quickly swiped the card. "Alright, everything checks out, four custom-ordered getups for four lovely ladies." Grace said. "I won't ask what they're for. I doubt you'll be serenading them with gifts, considering what these are made of."

Hansel frowned at Grace's odd sense of humor, but nodded. "Have a nice rest of your day, Grace." He said before nodding curtly to Ellie. With that goodbye, Hansel exited the store, carrying the four bags over his shoulder, effortlessly.

With the Kobalt out of earshot, Ellie felt she could not freely say this to her mother. "Mama," she said, "why are people so scared of him?"

Grace fell silent at this. "I mean, he looks pretty scary at first, like one of those delinquents you see hanging out in the seedy parts of the city, but he doesn't seem all that bad a guy." Ellie noted. "I just can't for the life of me figure out why people treat him like he's some sort of Grimm."

Grace heaved a sigh. "Because most people are idiots, honey." Grace said bluntly.

Back at Beacon, the members of Team RWBY received a sudden message on their scrolls, simultaneously.

"Change of plans. I want you all to change into your workout clothes and meet me in the outdoor track for your punishment within the hour - Professor Kobalt."

 **A.N: I actually really love downtime chapters. After spending years writing stories with 90% fight scenes, writing something like this is a nice change of pace. Let's me stretch my writing abilities, you know?**


	16. Chapter 16: Making the Best of It

**Chapter 16: Making the Best of It**

"And a one, and a two, and a three." Yang could not help but sigh as she stretched her limbs out to limber up in anticipation for whatever it is Professor Kobalt had in store for them. She had changed into her gym clothes the quickest, and now she was waiting on the rest of Team RWBY. "Feels weird to be back to a normal routine, doesn't it?"

Blake finished putting on her gym shirt, gazing at Yang in confusion as her cat ears perked up quizzically. "When has anything about our lives here at Beacon been a 'normal routine'?" She asked her best friend.

"Well, look at us." Yang said, leaning against a nearby locker. "We're back to the part of our lives where our biggest worry is what our teacher is going to do us for detention."

Weiss hummed thoughtfully at that, tying her gym shoes. "I suppose there is some truth to that." She admitted. "After dealing with the White Fang, Roman Torchwick, Cinder and her associates, and now Don Corleone, I have to admit, detention sure does sound preferable compared to the recent life-and-death stakes."

Yang chuckled. "With how much of a taskmaster Teach is, something tells me we're going to miss fighting all those criminals by the time he's done with us." She joked.

Yang then noticed Ruby walking towards the locker rooms exit outdoors, a direct pathway to the outdoor arena. "Not gonna wait for us, Sis?"

"What? Oh, sorry," Ruby gave a forced smile, "I guess I just wanted to get this over with so badly, I spaced out."

Yang sighed. "What's up?" She asked. "You've been quiet since you got back from your chat with...whoever it was you were chatting with. Are you even going to tell us who you felt like you had to talk to?"

"Nah," Ruby stuck her tongue out teasingly at her big sister, "that's for me to know, and you to never, ever, ever, find out."

Yang rolled her eyes. Well, at least she was somewhat back to normal. "Are you still pissed at Teach?" She asked.

Ruby shook her head. "I still do wish things had turned out differently." She admitted. "But, I don't think I'm mad anymore. Right now, I just want to get this detention over with so we can go back to worrying about our grades and _not_ consequences."

"Oh, that is just a lie, you never worry about grades." Weiss rolled her eyes before giving Ruby a fond smile.

"Boo!" Ruby stuck her tongue out at her bestie. "I worry about grades all the time! It's why I'm able to maintain low B's and high C's in everything but combat."

"And the occasional D, for 'Dolt.'" Weiss could not help but tease fondly.

"No!" Ruby denied, flailing her arms about. "Never D's! B for 'Bestie' and C for 'Cookies'!"

"And we keep telling you if you just applied yourself to things outside of combat, you could be the valedictorian." Blake reminded her with a deadpan expression before heaving a sigh. "But, I do agree with you on one thing. I want to get this over with too."

With that, Team RWBY stood in front of the exit together. "Okay, Team RWBY, time to face the music." Ruby said in a tone meant to keep everyone's spirits up.

And so, they exited the locker room in their gym clothes, now outside with a direct path to the outdoor arena, fifty feet away from them. The outdoor arena was vastly different from the arena they typically used for combat classes. It was created with wide open space in mind, meant to allow students to train there whenever their hearts desired it.

It certainly was not normally the place you would think of, when you think of "detention," and yet here we are now. Considering how they were dressed and where they were going, Team RWBY could certainly speculate that they were in for some particularly demanding physical training. But how that was a punishment, they had no idea.

Then again, perhaps it was best not to think about it. Hansel was no longer physically abusive as a teacher, but he definitely knew how to break a person if he wanted to. And if he could do it within the law and academy rules, he probably would do it; especially to punish some unruly students.

When they reached the arena, they were immediately treated to the sight of Hansel Kobalt standing in the dead center of the arena, arms folded. Four black bags were folded up neatly, laying on the ground next to him. Next to the bags, a big jug of water. "You're early," Hansel noted, "good. Lots of Huntsmen work on military time, where early means on-time, and on-time is late."

"Eager to get started?" Yang smirked.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Xiao Long." Hansel frowned. "Believe me, you're not going to have any reason to smirk by the time this is done."

Hansel then addressed Team RWBY as a whole. "I want to begin this by letting you all know that I seriously considered pushing for your expulsion. Not only did you four put yourselves in unnecessary danger, but you also conducted yourselves in a manner unbefitting of professionals."

Team RWBY lowered their heads at this. "Thankfully, I decided that would not be the correct way to go about this, on my own, mind you. Professor Ozpin simply reinforced the matter when I came to him for his opinion."

"In the end, while you four royally screwed up, you had been doing well up until that night." Hansel pointed out. "So, as long as you four know just how badly you screwed up and should focus on the things you're supposed to, I don't see a reason to have you expelled."

Hansel then gestured to the track that surrounded the field of the arena. "Your detention is simple. You four are going to run laps until you can't run anymore. And when I say you can't run anymore, I mean, I want you four to be lying on the ground, too exhausted to move."

Team RWBY looked at Hansel in disbelief. "Umm...are you sure?" Blake asked.

"Did I stutter?" Hansel narrowed his eyes.

"No, sir, it's just...running laps? How is that detention? Physical training is a part of being Huntsmen, is it not?"

Then, much to their surprise, Hansel flashed a predatory smirk at the girls. "Ah, but you didn't let me finish, Belladonna." Hansel told her, picking up the black bags.

"We...didn't?" Blake looked at Hansel in confusion.

Then, one by one, Hansel began tossing the bags at Team RWBY. "I want you all to open the bags and put on what's inside. You four will be wearing these for the duration of your detention today. And you don't get to refuse, I paid out of my own pocket for them, and they were custom-ordered and very expensive."

As Team RWBY caught their respective bags, the girls let out a yelp as they were suddenly forced to the ground by the surprising weight of these bags. "Heavy!" Yang yelped before realizing something.

 _There's...something very familiar about having to catch this bag._ She noted as she opened up the bag and was met with a sight that made her go pale.

Inside that bag was a golden-yellow cloak, very similar to that weighted get-up Hansel wore. Similar...oh crap. "Oh no…" Yang muttered as she slowly began to put the pieces together. Now it was starting to feel like a punishment.

Yang then looked to see Blake, Weiss and Ruby struggling to lift their own cloaks out of their own bags. They were all color-coded to match each girl. Red for Ruby, black for Blake, and white for Weiss. "In case you haven't realized it yet, these cloaks are made of the same material I use for mine." Hansel explained. "I wear it in the field to make sure I'm always building up extra strength. And it's good for deception, because it deliberately handicaps me against enemies."

"You can't possibly expect us to wear these." Blake said.

"I do, because that's what it means to be punished." Hansel pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone that left little room for argument.

Weiss then turned red from sudden implications hitting her. "Hold on, how do you know these will fit? Where did you even get our measurements from?!" She demanded

Blake, Yang and Ruby turned red from embarrassment. Surprisingly though, Hansel blushed in embarrassment as well and turned away, unable to face them. "D-did you idiots seriously forget you were all given physicals before this school? All I had to do was go to Professor Peach and ask for them." He pointed out.

Cloaks normally did not have to worry about measurements, but due to the special design of these cloaks, a proper fit actually was very important. If it was too tight, it would be too painful. This was especially true if girls had to wear such material. So take someone like Yang for example. Wearing a weighted cloak that did not fit properly would be a very painful experience for...ahem...two particular reasons.

Speaking of Yang, the blonde noticed Hansel's embarrassment and could not resist teasing him a little. She pushed her chest out. "Saw anything you liked, Teach?" She teased with a wink. "Maybe...you have a new appreciation for numbers?"

Blake face-palmed at Yang's behavior. "Yang, for God's sake, please stop teasing our teacher like that." She pleaded under her breath.

Hansel growled under his breath. "I'll have you know I didn't read any of them." He promised, still red from embarrassment. "I folded up the results and put them in an envelope for the tailor to open."

Ruby could not help but gaze at Hansel in wonder from learning this new fact about him. _Shy and embarrassed regarding women's bodies isn't something I expected from him._ She admitted inwardly.

Hansel coughed, regaining his composure. "Anyway," he said, "I already bought the damn things for you, so you've gotta wear them. Furthermore, I'm getting my money's worth on what I spent, so this won't be the only time."

"What do you mean it won't be? We've only got detention today." Blake pointed out.

Hansel shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he said, "like I said, you four made some serious mistakes that night. I don't think one detention is going to get that through to your heads."

Team RWBY did not like the sound of that. "So, I expect you all to be here by this time, every Saturday for the rest of the school year, running laps in those new cloaks." Hansel ordered. "Your Saturday is now mine."

"How is that fair?" Weiss demanded while the rest of Team RWBY paled.

"I'm being very fair." Hansel noted. "You four need to be punished, and I need to make sure the punishment sticks."

"However," Hansel continued, now looking at Ruby in particular, "if I'm going to punish you for that long, I need to at least make sure you get more than just 'don't do this again' out of it."

"You four want to become strong Huntresses, and you want to become strong Huntresses _right now_." Hansel reminded them. "That's the impression I got from how the four of you have conducted yourselves, for better or worse."

"If you want to be stronger right now, that means you need to work harder than everyone else to reach whatever goals you have. That means you need to be pushed harder than everyone else, hence why this is a continuous punishment." Hansel explained.

Team RWBY gazed at Hansel in shock. He was using this extended detention to...help them too? Hansel sighed. "Of course, getting stronger 'right now' is a process. It won't be instantaneous. Even when your power 'evolves' and 'grows' in the heat of battle in an instant, you need to have a strong body, mind and soul to handle the stress, otherwise you're going to hurt yourself. Growth is a process, not an event."

"But if you four really want to grow faster than the others, than you need to be pushed harder than the others." Hansel told them. "If you four want it that badly, then I can't make it easy for you. I fully intend to use these detentions to push you four past your own physical limits, to the point where you'll feel like you want to give up."

"But giving up is not an option if growth is that important to you, so you're going to take this punishment and not complain." Hansel reminded them.

The girls gazed at Hansel, wondering if this was his idea of giving them a pep talk. Then, his final words proved that it was. "And when we're done here," Hansel said in a tone that almost sounded encouraging, "you four go and get in someone else's way the next time you want to involve yourselves. And when that happens, you hopefully won't be a liability."

The girls could not help but deadpan. Hansel sucked at giving encouragements. 'Go get in someone else's way.' How did he think that was an effective pep talk?

Ruby nodded in understanding, knowing that pep talk was mostly directed towards her. Struggling to lift the cloak over her, Ruby stumbled about like a drunken sailor before she managed to get the cloak over her body. "Heavy!" Ruby yelped, almost falling over again due to the weight.

Weiss winced as she did the same. "How long do you expect us to run with this amount of weight on?" She asked.

Hansel shook his head. "You're going about it the wrong way, Schnee." He told her. "It's not how long I expect you to run, it's that I expect you to run until you drop, regardless of how many laps you get in."

"The hope is," Hansel continued as Blake and Yang put on their cloaks, both wincing like Weiss and Ruby did, "is that you improve and run for longer periods of time as the semester goes by. One workout doesn't do much. But sticking to the program does. Literally any workout program in existence will tell you the same damn thing."

Ruby could not help but sniffle, making Hansel look at her. "Are you about to start crying?" He deadpanned.

Ruby was staring at the other girls with a look of pride on her face. "I'm just so happy. We all technically have capes now!" She cheered, making Hansel groan and wonder why he worried in the first place. "Team Dream #7 has been fulfilled!"

"Team Dream what...Ruby, what are you talking about?" Blake demanded.

"Maybe we can call ourselves the Caped Cute-saders from now on?!" Ruby happily suggested.

"No!" The rest of Team RWBY replied.

"Boo!" Ruby stuck her tongue out.

Hansel regained his composure, then looked over all four cloaked girls and nodded. "Okay then," he said, clapping his hands together, "get to the starting line of the track! I want you 4 running laps in the next two minutes!"

Team RWBY could only lumber down the arena to the track's startling line. If Hansel had more of a sense of humor, he honestly would have laughed at the sight of them lumbering about. It looked like people who were way too bundled up for the holiday season, walking the snowy sidewalks of Vale.

"My legs already feel like they're about to give out." Weiss groaned.

"Also, before I forget, no Semblances." Hansel shouted at them, making Ruby whine in disappointment. "Begin!"

And so, Team RWBY began running laps, weighed down by their new cloaks. Hansel supervised it all with an unreadable expression on his face. _If I am going to better understand my students, I need to do so in a way I understand. In the end, I'm never going to be the nurturing type._ Hansel acknowledged. _In the end, I'm always going to be the one who's willing to use draconian methods to get them to do what is necessary to improve and then succeed._

 _So, I just have to make the best of it, and focus on what my methods and attitude_ _ **can do**_ _for these students._ Hansel decided. _I still don't understand why Professor Ozpin chose me...but as long as I'm here, I might as well make sure this generation of Huntsmen doesn't get killed for dumb reasons._

And so, Hansel supervised Team RWBY's first of many detentions, watching as they lumbered around the track in their weighted cloaks. Deciding he did not have to do much supervision when all they were doing was running laps, Hansel took the opportunity to draw Wolf Fang, and began practicing with his katana.

 _The only downside of sticking around as a teacher,_ Hansel noted, _is that I need to make time to train. I need to be ready...or I'm not going to be able to stop them._

Hansel kept an eye on the four "troublemakers" out of the corner of his eyes, making sure each of them did not use their Semblances to their advantage in any way.

This was Hansel and Team RWBY's life for some time now. And then, after that period of time, Team RWBY began to collapse one by one. Hansel took notice of this and gazed at his scroll. He raised an eyebrow at the time before nodding in approval.

"Not bad," he muttered, "they lasted longer than I expected."

Because they had to wait for Hansel's custom ordered outfits to be ready, they had to begin in the evening, at 6:00 PM. And, much to Hansel's surprise, they managed to run for a full hour. It was now 7 PM.

"A good start." Hansel muttered. "As they improve, we'll have to start earlier and earlier."

Hansel then saw the time again and realized something that actually upset him a little. "Damn it, they probably missed dinner." He sighed.

Hansel blamed himself for that one. Again, he had to wait for Grace to finish his custom order. And then there was traveling back and forth in the city. And now, with all of those circumstances against them, Team RWBY had to now missed dinner because of their detention. The cafeteria was only open from 6-7 PM on weekends.

Now, Hansel should not necessarily feel bad about this. They were in detention. If they did not want something like this to happen, they should follow the rules?

Hansel walked up to Team RWBY, who all looked like pulsating corpses, panting in exhaustion. He took a moment to survey how each of them specifically looked. Weiss was in the worst shape. That made sense, Weiss had no endurance out of the four of them.

Blake and Yang were in comparatively better shape, but neither of them wanted to move at the moment. Both were arguably in the best physical condition in the entire team, thanks to their respective fighting styles, so that made sense to Hansel.

And then there was Ruby Rose, who was actually trying to force herself to her feet, in spite of the fact she was clearly not fit to be on her feet any longer. _I can't tell whether it's because she's trying to draw on some sort of hidden physical strength she should have, considering her Semblance, or if her strength of will really has that much potential._

Hansel quickly ran back to the big jug of water, along with some cups, stacked up next to them, and brought them all back to Team RWBY. He quickly poured some water. "Drink up," Hansel simply told them.

Thankfully, Team RWBY had enough strength in their arms to at least take the cups of water and drink out of them. "Just say so when you want more." Hansel continued. "Until then, just rest up and get the feeling back in your legs."

Team RWBY just moaned in response, too tired and out of breath to properly thank Hansel. Hansel patiently waited for them to drink and rest. Then, after several minutes passed, he noticed each of them slowly moving their legs. They were starting to get the use of their legs back. Then their stomachs growled, making them groan once more, this time in embarrassment. Nobody liked it when their stomachs growled loudly.

Hansel sighed, realizing that they were probably in such a rush to get to their detention, they must have skipped dinner. He spoke up once more, knowing what had to be done. "Okay," he said, "get those cloaks off, hit the showers, and then get dressed."

Team RWBY looked up at Hansel in surprise. "We are going out to eat. I'm treating you four to dinner."

"Huh?" They could only say in confusion.

"It's past 7. The Academy's kitchen is closed." Hansel noted. "I refuse to be responsible for students missing a meal, so I'm treating you four to a late dinner in the city."

"Huh?" Team RWBY repeated, unsure of how they should respond to this sudden offer.

Hansel then narrowed his eyes. "Just so we're clear, you don't get to say no. My charity is non-negotiable." Hansel told them.

"What kind of charity is that?" Yang found her voice, and the first thing she decided to say was a snarky response. Par for the course at this point.

"My kind," Hansel responded, "I'll be waiting outside the locker rooms. We'll be heading into the city as soon as you're ready. I'll be leaving the water with you, just leave it by the locker room door."

And with that, Hansel left Team RWBY alone. As soon as he was out of earshot, Blake said what was on everyone else's mind. "Guys, this day has been weird."

"Yep," Yang and Weiss said in unison, while Ruby remained silent, shocked at the turn this evening had taken.

After a few more minutes of rest, Team RWBY managed to get to their feet. After quick showers to wash off all the sweat, they bagged their gym clothes and dropped off their gym bags, which were now massively heavier thanks to the cloaks, and walked outside to find that Hansel was indeed waiting for them.

As soon as they saw him, four stomachs growled in unison, making all four of them blush in embarrassment. Hansel nodded in understanding. "Come on," he said, "we'll be going there after the dinner rush, so we won't have to wait long."

"Where are we going exactly, sir?" Blake asked curiously.

"The best place to carb up after a workout," Hansel responded, gesturing for his students to follow him.

Still somewhat confused by the turn this had taken, along with Hansel's silence on the matter, Team RWBY quietly followed Hansel to the next airship into the city. As they moved through the city, Ruby found herself wincing at the sight at the still-visible destruction from the attack on the Vytal Festival. It served as a horrible reminder that while they had stopped Salem and Cinder, they had not stopped them in time.

"Umm, Professor?" Ruby asked nervously.

"Yeah, Rose, what is it?" Hansel responded.

"Will there actually be any places open?" Ruby asked curiously. "I mean, aren't we still rebuilding after…"

"Life goes on, regardless of the tragedies that befall us, Rose. That was something Professor Ozpin taught me." Hansel told her. "People can't afford to have their lives derailed by things like the Vytal Festival for too long."

"He's got a point there," Yang looked around and smiled at all the activity in the city, "even if the rebuilding effort is still going on, you can see that people are still trying to go about their lives like it's just another day in Vale."

Hansel nodded. "It's not like they can dwell on it." He reminded them. "That'll just attract more Grimm."

"So, they just have to bottle up their emotions then?" Weiss noted.

"They tried that once, the result was the Great War." Hansel replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"So how do they do it than?" Blake asked. "How do people go on with such gnawing fears in the back of their mind?"

Blake herself was wondering this, because deep down, she was still concerned for the day Adam came back to make good on his promise.

Hansel just shrugged. "Hard to say, it's different for everyone. But in the end, I think it comes down to this." he said. "People just remind themselves of what's really important."

"They're still alive."

Ruby spoke up, interested in Hansel's reasoning. "Is that really all it takes?" She asked curiously.

Hansel nodded. "Like I said, life goes on, regardless of the tragedies that befall us." He reminded her. "Life endures."

Ruby's eyes widened, remembering Ozpin telling her the creation myth of Remnant that he personally subscribed to. "Life endures." She muttered softly, realizing how deeply that particular story seemed to affect Ozpin and his point of view.

Before Ruby could pick Hansel's brain further on this, the Combat Professor stopped, making the rest of the team stop as well. "We're here." Hansel said.

Team RWBY looked up and gasped in surprise at where Hansel had taken them. "Pleasure Island Pizza?" Yang was stunned.

"The best pizza in all of Vale." Ruby honestly could not tell, but she could have sworn she had seen the ghost of a smile on Hansel's face for just a brief moment as he said that.

"Pizza?" Weiss gazed at Hansel in surprise.

"Like I said, you four need to carb up after a huge workout." Hansel reminded them. "And this place is one of the best to do it."

With that, Hansel entered the famed establishment. Pleasure Island Pizza had been a mainstay in Vale for twenty years. It was no chain like other pizza places, but it still surpassed every single one of them, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated owner by the name of Jimmy Cocchiere.

Team RWBY gazed at each other one more time, before deciding not to pass up a free meal. With that silent decision between the four of them, they entered the famous restaurant. Hansel waited for them inside and immediately addressed the hostess. "Table for five." He said.

The hostess nodded with a smile. "Right away, Mr. Kobalt, good to see you again."

As the hostess led the group to their table, Team RWBY gazed at Hansel in disbelief. Did the people of this restaurant know him?

As Team RWBY gazed at their menus, Hansel noticed their slight trepidation and spoke up. "Don't worry about price, like I said, this is on me. So eat as much as you want."

"That's very generous, sir," Weiss acknowledged, "but are you sure you can afford paying for all of us?"

"Don't forget Schnee, once upon a time, my family was as rich as you Atlesian nobles." Hansel reminded her. "What, did you think all that money was frozen?"

"You...have access to your entire family's fortune?" Weiss was stunned.

Hansel nodded. "We...made a lot of money back in the day." He left it at that.

Then, before Team RWBY could give their menus a proper look, they were interrupted by the boisterous laughter of a burly, balding man in his late 50s, wearing a kitchen apron. "How you doing, kid?" He yelled to Hansel.

"Hey there, Jimmy." Hansel casually greeted Jimmy Cocchiere, the owner of Pleasure Island Pizza.

"Jimmy, as in Jimmy Cocchiere?" Blake gazed at the big man in shock. "Like, the guy who owns this place?"

"The one and only." Cocchiere grinned. "So, is this some sort of group date? Which one of you lucky ladies is with this guy, and where are the rest of the guys?"

Team RWBY turned red while Hansel sighed. "Jimmy, these are my students." He said in a completely deadpan expression.

Cocchiere, to his credit, looked very embarrassed at such a faux pas. "Oh, my bad." He said before smiling. "It is good to see you again, kid. We were missing our best customer this past year. You wouldn't believe how happy I was when I heard you were back in town."

Hansel nodded. "Circumstances changed." He said simply. "It's good to be back though, I honestly did miss this place."

"I'll tell the kitchen to get started on your usual order." Cocchiere promised before turning to the rest of Team RWBY. "As for the rest of you, I'll give you some time to look at the menus and then send a waiter back to help you."

"Thank you, Mr. Cocchiere." Ruby said politely.

Cocchiere clapped Hansel on the shoulder. Surprisingly, Hansel did not react to the physical contact. "This is a good kid right here, one of my best customers. His and Ms. Goodwitch's visits helped put my kids through college."

With that, Cocchiere left the table of five. Team RWBY looked at Hansel in disbelief. Hansel gazed right back. "What?"

"You know the owner?" Weiss inquired.

Hansel nodded. "Yeah, through Glynda." He said. "Cocchiere is a big supporter of Huntsmen. In fact, Pleasure Island Pizza is famous for how much it donates to causes related to Huntsmen. Huntsmen even get discounts here, so make sure you bring that up. That's how he knows Glynda."

"And you're his best customer?" Yang raised an eyebrow.

"This was mine and Glynda's favorite place to go after a long day of work. Once she saw how much I loved the food here, she always made it a point to treat me to a nice meal here." Hansel admitted. "So, Cocchiere eventually just ended up getting to know me. We're definitely not big enough friends to get a 'friend discount'. But, the Huntsmen discount is enough. I've got the money either way though."

Hansel then gestured to the menus. "You should focus on what you're going to order. Your hungry, aren't you?"

Team RWBY opened their menus, still with plenty of trepidation in their eyes. Hansel noticed this and sighed. "I told you already, don't worry about the price. This is on me. If there's something you want, order it. Don't worry about the price."

With that reassurance, Team RWBY quickly looked through the menu. Blake then spoke up. "You know," she said, "I really can't figure you out."

"Huh?" Hansel frowned. "What is there to figure out?"

"Well, one minute you're running people into the ground as a punishment, and the next you're treating them to dinner." Blake pointed out. "You're...very complicated."

Hansel looked confused at that statement. "Complicated? No way, if anything, I like to think I'm pretty straightforward. No matter who it is, I want people to know exactly where they stand with me."

"So, where do we stand with you?" Weiss asked curiously.

Hansel sighed. "I don't hate any of you, if that's what you're getting at." He told them.

Hearing that statement, Ruby found herself remembering her conversation with Glynda. "I look at the four of you, and I certainly see potential." Hansel admitted. "You just seem to have a bad habit of picking fights out of your weight class, and I'm not just talking about Corleone."

Blake's 'bow' dropped at that statement, once again thinking about Adam. Hansel sighed again. "It's not like being strict and then offering charity are mutually exclusive things." He pointed out. "As loving as Glynda was, I don't cross her for good reason. She's one of the few people out there I do not fuck with."

Team RWBY shuddered at that statement. Glynda was terrifying when she was angry. "Same with Professor Ozpin," Hansel continued, "he was as strict as they came when I was living at Beacon, but at the end of the day, he had a candor to him that could not be matched. I'm just following his example."

Team RWBY looked at Hansel, surprised at how wise he sounded at the moment. Hansel ignored the staring and concluded: "Just keep showing up for classes, your weekend detentions, following my instructions, and we'll be just fine." He promised. "I don't hate people without a reason, so I'd appreciate it if you got that thought out of your heads."

"Err...sorry." Blake muttered sheepishly.

A young man with a green beanie soon arrived with a notepad. "Good evening everyone, my name is Lewis, I'll be your waiter tonight. Have you had a chance to look over the menu?"

One by one, the table for five nodded. "Excellent, I can take drink orders and food orders right now, if you wish."

"Strawberry Sunrise, no ice, and one of those cute little umbrellas if you got 'em." Yang told them.

"I'll see if we have those umbrellas. No promises though." Lewis nodded.

"Hey, Xiao Long," Hansel spoke up, "remember what I said, this is on me, so order whatever you want."

Yang nodded. "I'll take a meat lovers." She said eagerly.

"Tea and the seafood special." Blake quickly ordered.

Hansel gave Blake a deadpan expression. _You really aren't doing yourself any favors by being a walking stereotype, you damn cat girl._

Weiss gazed at the menu in hesitation. Hansel sighed. "Not used to going to pizza places, eh Schnee?"

Lewis's eyes widened. "A Schnee, here?"

Weiss blushed in embarrassment. "I'm...a bit too used to fine dining." She admitted. "I know nothing about pizza at all."

"Just order pepperoni, that's a good way to start out." Hansel told her. "Or, if that doesn't sound too appealing, just get a vegetarian pizza. You can't go wrong either way, you're carbing up."

"Pepperoni then, you oddly seem to know your pizzas, so I'll take your word for it." Weiss said. "And some tea for me as well."

"I'll have a soda and pepperoni as well." Ruby spoke up before her eyes lit up in excitement. "And, I know it's a bit early, but can I get one of those dessert pizzas too?"

"And for you, Mr. Kobalt?" Lewis inquired curiously.

"My usual order. Jimmy should've already placed it." Hansel told him. "And a soda for me as well. These girls are students, so can we get the Huntsmen discount as well?"

Lewis nodded and collected the menus. "Of course, Mr. Kobalt. We'll have your orders out as soon as possible."

Lewis left to place their orders in the kitchen. The group was left in awkward silence for awhile. Hansel admittedly was content with the silent, but he did not like them looking so nervous when he was the one trying to do something nice here. "So, Rose, pretty much beat me over the head with her motivations to become a Huntress." Hansel noted, making Ruby blush in embarrassment. "What about you three? Why did you three choose this life?"

"There are a lot of reasons on my end." Weiss admitted. "For one thing, I need to restore my family's good name."

"I've always had a flair for adventure." Yang shrugged.

"...I just want to make this world a more just place." Blake said softly.

"But there's more to that, right?" Hansel raised an eyebrow.

Weiss nodded. "Doctor Oobleck put things in perspective for us. Our job, first and foremost is to help people. It's not just about my family name, it's because of my family name that I need to do everything I can for the sake of others."

"I grew up protecting my little sister." Yang noted before admitting. "I'm not normally the sentimental type, but looking back now, that was the most rewarding adventure. I can't just think of myself, we're doing this to help people. I...realized that after the Vytal Festival."

"...The most just thing we can do is protect people, regardless of their species." Blake nodded in agreement. "I want to help people too."

Hansel nodded, satisfied with their answers. "Yeah, what happened at the festival was a bit of a wakeup call. I am glad to see you at least got something positive out of it." Hansel leaned back into his seat, folding his arms.

Hansel's face fell slightly. "Something horrible's coming." He admitted. "I don't know when, but it's coming. We all need to be ready for when it does arrive."

"You really think so?" Weiss was curious.

Hansel nodded grimly. "We live in a powder keg." He noted. "Unfortunately, while everyone tries to suppress it, they're pretty much always on edge. It always seems like our world is on the brink of some kind of war. And with horrible people like that Cinder making things worse...well, things are definitely going to get worse. You four...I really do hope you're ready. There are fewer things worse than dying feeling helpless and useless."

"Sheesh, talk about crappy dinner conversation." Yang sighed, making Hansel glare at her. "Don't get me wrong, Teach, I agree with you, and I do appreciate you trying to make sure we're ready, but take the rest of the day off. I mean, you are treating us to a meal off-duty, so at least act like you're off-duty. Relax, learn to enjoy life. Hell, you should observe me as much as you observe us. I can teach you how to kick back."

Hansel frowned. "No thanks." He deadpanned.

Yang chuckled. "I know, you asked us some questions, why don't we ask you now." She smiled. "So what about you? What made you decide to become a Huntsmen? I mean, you come from a long line of Huntsmen and scientists, don't you?"

Briefly, Hansel noticed that some of the patrons were starting to stare at him with concern and hate. "I do, yes." He replied.

"Okay, so why do you do what you do?" Yang asked curiously.

Hansel fell silent for a brief moment before responding. "Because I made a promise...a long time ago."

"A promise?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"I made a promise to someone very important." Hansel admitted. "I...need to keep it, no matter what."

Ruby's eyes widened at the look in Hansel's eyes. For a brief moment, he looked sad and vulnerable. Hansel sighed. "Bet you didn't think of me as the sentimental type, eh?" He noted. "In the end, we all have something important to us...that means the world to us."

"And...this promise is your thing?" Weiss asked curiously.

"It's a certainly a thing I don't like to talk too much about." Hansel said sternly. "Not to sound harsh, but that promise stays between me and the one I made it to."

Hansel then changed the subject. "There's also someone else that I need to find. Someone I need to bring to justice. That's also what pushes me down this path."

"Someone you need to find?" Yang was surprised. Did she actually have something in common with her teacher?

Hansel remembered Yang's actions when they had all met Reaper. Seeing his way out of opening up about that promise, something that meant the world to him, he decided to speak up. "Like you," he noted, "you're looking for your mother, aren't you? Raven Branwen, Qrow's sister."

Yang's face fell. "Yeah," she said, "she...left us after I was born. I didn't even know she was my mom until Summer died."

"I...just want to find out from her why she left us." Yang admitted. "If I do that...I can finally move on."

Hansel sighed. "Xiao Long, let me give you a piece of advice." He said.

Yang looked at Hansel. "You need to forget about Raven Branwen." Hansel told her. "If she chose to leave her only daughter, then you should leave it at that. Believe me, it's better not to find out what makes people like her tick. If she abandoned you and your old man, then it's best you leave it at that. You'll just be disappointed by the why."

"You're looking for someone too." Yang pointed out.

"...My situation is complicated." Hansel admitted, wanting to leave it at that. The person he was searching for, that was also something he did not want open up about to a bunch of students. They could never understand what he was dealing with. Which certainly begged the question to him: at what point would they stop trying to understand?

"Well, so is mine, as far as I'm concerned." Yang said calmly. "So I guess we're just going to have agree to disagree."

Hansel sighed. "Fine." He said simply.

"Er...why don't we change the subject again?" Ruby suggested nervously. "Hey, Professor, do you like video games? I never got a chance to ask you, but during one of your classes, you hinted that you did."

"I think I know which class you're talking about." Hansel noted, actually grateful that Ruby had changed the subject. "It's a nice...time killer. A good stress relief too. I train a lot, so it's nice to get a break every once in awhile."

Ruby's eyes lit up. "So what kind of games do you like to play?" She asked eagerly.

"Anything that looks fun," Hansel shrugged, "it's not like I have a personal preference."

Ruby, however, did not let up. She pushed for Hansel to open up about his favorite games while she brought up her favorite video games. So, they ended up discussing Kung Fu Ninja Ultimate Slayer Death Battle 2. Namely, the meta game, who was too overpowered and who desperately needed to be nerfed.

This took up the rest of their time waiting, before Lewis and a few other servers returned with their orders. Weiss' eyes widened at the sight. "That does look delicious." She admitted.

Everyone's respective pizzas were placed in front of them. "Well, chow down." Hansel told them, reaching for his pepperoni pizza. "No need to hold back."

Team RWBY quickly dug in. Well, Blake, Yang and Ruby did. Weiss was going at her meal with a bit more elegance one would expect from an heiress. She was trying to eat her pizza with silverware. Hansel noticed this and sighed.

"Schnee," he said, "you're not at one of your old man's parties. No need to hold back. You're starving, aren't you?"

Weiss' eyes widened, surprised by Hansel's encouragement to loosen up a little. She took another look at her pizza, and dug in. The rest of the team watched as Weiss dug into her pizza with the ferocity of a predator.

"Whoa…" Yang muttered.

Hansel nodded, satisfied. "Like I said, titles don't mean jack shit to Huntsmen." He reminded her. "There's no need to keep up appearances."

Weiss nodded gratefully. "This is delicious." She muttered after swallowing what was currently in her mouth. "I can't believe I never had food like this."

"Yeah, no kidding." Yang said. "I had always wanted to try this place. I just never had the chance. Thanks for bringing us here, Teach. This was a nice treat."

"I can't wait to have the dessert pizzas." Ruby admitted. "If the dinner is that good, I'd can't wait to see what their desserts are like."

"Fishies…" Blake could only moan with glee as she devoured her seafood special pizza.

Hansel decided to leave them to enjoy their pizza and focused on his own. Ruby noticed a small smile curl as he enjoyed his own meal. Remembering that Hansel was not big on people prying into his life, Ruby decided to focus on her own meal.

The five 'carnivores' dug into their pizzas with various levels of fervor. Much to the surprise of the girls, they were actually eating their entire respective meals. They really were starving. When Ruby came close to the end, she suddenly shot up from her seat. "I'll be right back." She said.

"Nature calling, Sis?" Yang teased.

Ruby blushed in embarrassment at Yang's teasing before heading towards the back of the restaurant. Hansel, out of the corner of his eyes, noticed a few of the patrons who had been staring at him, now looking at Ruby, watching her head to the back.

The combat professor narrowed his eyes as they rose from their seats and followed after the girl. And here he was hoping for a peaceful dinner.

A few minutes later, Ruby emerged from the restroom with her second wind, ready to finish her pizza. However, before she could get far, she was suddenly confronted by three concerned-looking men.

"Umm, hi?" She asked nervously.

"Are you okay?" The man in the lead.

"...What?" Ruby was stunned by what she was hearing.

"That guy, the Kobalt, has he done anything to you? Is he holding you and those other girls captive?" The leader asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Of all things she could have been asked, that was not what she expected. "What?" Ruby repeated.

"Listen to me, you need to get as far away from him as possible, before he does something horrible to you and those other girls." The man warned her.

"Umm...listen, I don't know what you're talking about." Ruby admitted, confused as to why these men seemed so afraid of Hansel. "But...I don't think Professor Kobalt is the type to kidnap people. And I certainly don't think he's the type to do...whatever it is you're so afraid of him doing."

The men all gazed at each other in concern for the girl before turning back to her. "Look, we're trying to help you. If he's a part of _that_ family, then it's only a matter of time before he does something horrible to you all."

Ruby narrowed her eyes. Now they were going too far. Why were they so insistent on painting Hansel like he was some kind of monster? It made no sense to her. "Now listen to me, I don't know what kind of problem you have Professor Kobalt, but I'm not going to just stand here and let you talk about him like that. It's wrong, and I don't like it."

"We're trying to help you," the man in the lead told her, "you should be grateful."

Before Ruby could continue her argument with these men, someone else entered the conversation. "Need some help moving, gentlemen?"

Ruby and the men turned to see Hansel, staring at them with his usual emotionless expression. "This doesn't concern you." The leader growled.

"I disagree," Hansel said, "that's my student you're harassing. So step aside and let her through. She has a meal to finish, and I hate wasted food."

One of the leader's friends whispered into his ear and the man sighed. "Fine," he muttered before glaring at Hansel, "you've got some nerve going out in public, with all the horrible shit your family pulled. You damn freak."

Ruby's eyes widened as the men walked past Hansel, glaring hatefully at him. Freak? That was such a strong word. Nobody called someone that unless they really meant it. "How could you let them talk to you like that?" Ruby asked in disbelief.

"I've heard it before. Just one of the things you've gotta get used to, when you're one of the last members of a cursed family." Hansel shrugged uncaringly.

"Yeah, but it's horrible, it's wrong." Ruby insisted. "People shouldn't be talking to you like that."

Hansel sighed. "Look, I overheard you talking back to those guys." He said. "It's not that I'm not grateful, but I don't need you fighting my own battles. This is my burden to bear, you don't need to get involved."

"But I can't ignore something like that." Ruby flailed her arms. "Whatever your family did, you've got nothing to do with it."

Ruby's response actually surprised Hansel. "Whatever my family did...wait, you don't know my family history?"

Ruby blushed in embarrassment. "I've...never really paid attention to history." She admitted. "Yeah, I don't really know."

Hansel heaved a sigh. Ruby noticed that small smile of his again. "Of course you don't." He said softly before turning serious again. "It's not important, it's just something I've gotta deal with. Come on, let's head back to the table."

Ruby quietly followed Hansel back to the table. _Professor Goodwitch did say she didn't want me prying into Professor Kobalt's life._ Ruby noted. _I wonder if it has anything to do with how everyone treats him._

Deciding to table those thoughts for now, Ruby and Hansel rejoined their table. As they finished their respective meals, Ruby could not help but note how happy everyone seemed, even Hansel to some degree.

 _You know,_ she thought, _moments like these...really do make tough times like detention worth it._

 _Moments like these...I think they're worth fighting for too._ Ruby concluded.

 **A.N: This chapter was actually heavily inspired by the first chapter of Naruto, particularly the moment where Kishimoto established the very likable character of Iruka Umino. When I first saw Iruka, I was immediately drawn to his character. After punishing Naruto and condemning the vandalizing of the Hokage Monument, he immediately treats Naruto to ramen because he understands why he behaves the way he does. That made me absolutely fall in love with his character.**

 **Naruto had a pretty cool dad, and I'm not just talking about Minato. And I'm not even just talking about Jiraiya. Iruka really saved that kid.**

 **Anyway, it's the same with Hansel. In the end, he's a very straightforward person, he'll let you have it if he thinks you screwed up, but he'll also treat you to a nice meal if he feels it necessary. Funny thing is, though he claims he'll always be for more draconian methods, he's also quite the nurturer deep down.**

 **On a more serious note though, we begin to get some serious hints as to just how effed up Hansel's life actually was before Beacon. Seriously. How bad is his life that Glynda does not even want him to _confront_ his past. Most of the time, people say you need to confront your past to move forward. But Glynda doesn't even want Hansel to do that. She thinks he couldn't handle it. Let that sink in for a moment.**

 **Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the two chapters released for Wild Hunt this month. We'll be sticking with a a couple more downtime chapters before the next arc starts up. See you next time.**


	17. Chapter 17: Mistral's Angel

**Chapter 17: Mistral's Angel**

Pyrrha Nikos panted, drenched in sweat. A massive slab of metal fell to the ground in front of her. Hansel Kobalt, who was standing off to the side, nodded in satisfaction. "I think we can call it a day." He said. "You can relax now, Nikos.'

Pyrrha looked at Hansel, surprised he was actually calling it a day. After hearing about Team RWBY's detention, Pyrrha had been admittedly nervous about this special training. "Are you sure, sir?" She asked.

"You're at your limit, Nikos." Hansel told her. "No, you're past your limit. Continuing would only hurt you at this point. You may have been Sanctum's champion, but you're nowhere near the point where you can safely train beyond your limit."

Pyrrha sighed. "I can't argue with that." She admitted.

Hansel raised an eyebrow. "You're...surprisingly submissive for an undefeated champion." He noted bluntly. "Are you not even going to argue with what I said?"

"You are my teacher, sir." Pyrrha pointed out. "That typically makes you the smartest guy in the room. Whatever criticism you may have for me, I'll take it without any issue."

Hansel took a look at the metal slab Pyrrha had been lifting constantly for her Semblance training. "A pretty impressive haul though. You lifted more than your previous record from your solo training." He noted.

Hansel sighed. "But none of this is going to matter if this does not lead you to unlock your _other_ powers."

Pyrrha's face fell at this. "I take it you still haven't noticed anything different?" He inquired curiously.

Pyrrha shook her head. "No, sir." She said before looking off to the side. "Is it...possible that my soul simply did not...mesh with the previous Fall Maiden's?"

Hansel hummed thoughtfully at this statement. "I'm not an expert on this subject." He admitted. "What I know is combat first and foremost and the mechanics behind it."

Hansel ignited his hand in black flames. "Our Semblances are manifestations of our souls, just like our Aura is." Hansel reminded her. "The Maiden powers may be magic, but according to legends, and Professor Ozpin's history lessons, magic, once upon a time, was a part of our souls, just like the powers we have today."

"Which means, theoretically, that as long as Ironwood's creepy-ass machine worked, you should have the Fall Maiden's power, as your souls were brought together."

"But I still don't feel any different." Pyrrha pointed out.

"Your body is adjusting, Nikos, you shouldn't expect results so quickly." Hansel told her. "This is why we're holding these training sessions. To build up your body so that you can handle the Fall Maiden's powers. If I had not properly trained myself to peak condition, I would've ripped my body asunder with my own Semblance, the same applies you and your new powers."

Pyrrha nodded in understanding. "So it's just a matter of time and work." She mused. "And when that happens...our souls will be…"

Hansel sighed. "What are you worried about now?"

"Sir," Pyrrha said, "if you were in my position, would you be worried about losing your individuality? Your very identity? Who you are as a person? And all of that was replaced by something you don't even recognize?"

Hansel fell silent at that before sighing. "You know," he said, "it's a little late to be having second thoughts, don't you think?"

"I know," Pyrrha said, "but...I came here to Beacon to get away from the identity of Sanctum's Undefeated Champion. I wanted to just be Pyrrha Nikos. And now, I'm in the midst of some sort of soul-merging with the closest thing Remnant seems to have to a demigod."

Hansel gazed at Pyrrha before shaking his head in resignation. "Nikos," he said, "I'm no therapist. Nor am I the type to comfort people. The only thing I know is what I believe to be the truth...no matter how bad it hurts."

Pyrrha fell silent at that statement. "At the end of the day, you chose to step inside that machine." Hansel reminded her. "All decisions have consequences. And unfortunately...that possibility is the consequence you must face."

"But you can't falter." Hansel told her. "Self-sacrifice is a part of the Huntsman's life. It's certainly not always glamorous brand deals."

"If you're that concerned about losing who you are though." Hansel continued. "My advice would be to make sure you have no regrets. Do what you came to do with the time you have, no matter how long or short it may be."

"...You never struck me as the type to talk of existentialism." Pyrrha admitted.

Hansel groaned. "Geez," he muttered, "between you saying that and Team RWBY questioning me treating them to pizza last night, I'm starting to wonder if I'm just cursed to have people make assumptions about me."

"But the point stands." Hansel got back on track. "At the end of the day, it's about being able to leave this world with as few regrets as possible. There are a lot of things in my life I wish were different...all I can do now is make sure things end without more regrets."

"Anyway," Hansel realized he was probably opening up a bit too much to Pyrrha, "go take a shower and go back to your team. I'm sure they're waiting."

Pyrrha rose to her feet and bowed. "Thank you for the session today, Professor." She said politely before leaving. "And...thanks for the advice."

As Pyrrha left the arena, Hansel was drawn to the sound of boisterous laughter. "Ho ho!" Peter Port suddenly lumbered into view. "It looks like Barty and I owe Glynda money. You grew into your position faster than we expected."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "You better not have gambled on something involving me again, Port." He growled.

Port just smiled. "Come now, young Hansel, it's all in good fun. And besides, our bet serves as a lovely reminder of just how much you mean to Glynda. When she heard Barty and I talking about how long it would take for you to grow into your new job, she immediately got involved and bet it would take you this exact amount of time."

Hansel grumbled at this, blushing slightly at how much he meant to his adopted mother. "Why are you here, Port?" He asked. "It can't just be because you wanted to tease me about some damn bet."

"That is quite correct," Port nodded, "I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's a crowd of reporters at the gates of Beacon. They're here to talk to you."

Hansel's face darkened at that statement. Port's face fell slightly, as evidenced by his own mustache frowning at the look on the boy's face. "Took 'em long enough." Hansel said simply, before adding, "so, does Professor Ozpin want me to speak with them?"

"Of course not," Port shook his head, "him and Glynda are trying to get rid of them right now. I'm all for a free press, but they're bothering the students on what's supposed to be their day off."

"This is another reason why I prefer being on the road." Hansel held his face in the palm of his hand in exasperation. "No obnoxious assholes with cameras prying into my life. The world's already made up its mind about me anyway, so there's literally no point to holding any more interviews."

"If I may," Port suggested, "perhaps showing your best side to the media would help? Living with most of the world hating you can't be healthy, Hansel. You're every bit the manly hero as the rest of us are. It's not fair the way they treat you."

"I never said it was healthy, and I never said it was fair." Hansel shook his head. "You can't erase the past. The dead will remain dead. And the pariahs will remain pariahs."

Port watched in sympathy as Hansel trudged off to get some peace and quiet in his room. "The Cursed Family...the Kobalts." Port muttered sympathetically. "While I don't agree with what they did, I at least always respected the lengths they were willing to go for Remnant's sake, and that's more than I can say about everyone else. And bearing that in mind, it's just not right how Hansel's the only one left to deal with the brunt of all that hatred. Bottling up his emotions like that is not healthy. It's going to break him at this rate."

Port sighed, remembering what Ozpin had told the faculty the day he announced he was bringing Hansel back. _"It pains me to do something so pragmatic to the boy...but the reality is he is a valuable asset that we need in this school."_

" _Sir, Hansel is a boy, not a possession."_ Professor Peach had spoken up before Glynda could voice her objection on such a statement.

" _I know, but I need to think about everyone's future...even if it means putting him in such an uncomfortable position."_ Ozpin admitted, sounding audibly pained.

" _If I may, sir, what does Hansel's presence mean for everyone here?"_ Port had asked, trying to keep everyone on track before this devolved into an argument.

" _Hansel has experiences in battle that make him a perfect teacher for the students."_ Ozpin had explained. _"But as a soldier, I need to make sure he does not remain on such a self-destructive path. Wouldn't you agree, Glynda?"_

Port's face fell at the sight of Glynda's concerned face. _"Yes."_

" _Every report we receive from him shows an unhealthy obsession with his mission. Combine that with the way he is treated by the general populace and we see a dangerous desire to succeed born inside of him."_ Ozpin had sadly noted. _"I am concerned...that deep down Hansel has self-worth issues that are causing him to bury himself in his mission."_

" _I cannot allow someone with such talent to ruin his own life. So, I'm hoping that naming him a teacher will give him something else to devote his time and energy to, and consequently give him a greater sense of worth."_

 _I have believed in you for a long time, Professor Ozpin._ Port thought to himself. _I really do hope you're right about this one. I don't want to see him destroy himself either. No one deserves that._

 _Everyone's the legendary hero of their own story…I don't want his story to end like that._

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of Beacon Academy, Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch calmly made his way into the crowd of reporters, taking note of a few students who were reluctantly and nervously responding to the questions of the media.

"What's Professor Kobalt like?" He heard Velvet Scarlatina respond to a reporter nervously. "Well, he's very tall, and muscley. What? What do you mean has he done anything weird to me because I'm a Faunus? He hasn't done anything like that."

"He's tough, but he's a good teacher." He heard Weiss Schnee recite to the crowd of reporters in front of her. "He has no issue with pushing any of us to our limits, but it's done with the intent to make our generation of Huntsmen a strong one. But when the day is over, he's willing to show a more personable side, such as treating students to dinner."

Ozpin could not help but nod appreciatively at Weiss's experience in dealing with the media shining through. Thankfully, the other students had been giving positive, but nervous testimonies. The nerves mainly being because of the media's insistence on getting answers about Hansel.

It was here that the media noticed Ozpin and Glynda's presence and immediately began to swarm them, making the students get lost in the crowd. "Glynda." Ozpin said calmly.

Glynda nodded and flicked her riding crop. One by one, the students rose out of the crowd. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Ruby Rose shrieked as her and the rest of the students were moved safely away from the crowd by Glynda's Semblance.

"Whee!" Nora Valkyrie cheered. "All aboard Professor Goodwitch's Magic School Bus!"

"There we go." Ozpin had somewhat narrowed eyes, irritated by the media almost running over his students like stampeding cattle.

"Professor Ozpin, is it really true that you hired Hansel Kobalt as the new combat professor?"

"Professor Ozpin, what about his age?"

"Why wasn't anyone informed of this? As a member of the council, didn't you think you had a duty to inform people what you were doing at your school, in light of the Vytal Festival?"

"Professor Ozpin, aren't you concerned about your school's reputation? What about the safety of your students? Isn't there an inherent danger having a Kobalt around as a teacher?"

That last statement almost set Glynda off. Ozpin could feel her Aura spike in rage. _I better defuse this before Glynda goes Mama Bear on these reporters._ Opzin thought.

"Yes, the rumors are true, the current combat professor is indeed Hansel Kobalt, an 18-year-old. Certainly not the kind of age you'd expect a teacher to be. However, as far as combat knowledge goes, Hansel is the best qualified person for the job." Ozpin explained, wanting to go through each question as quickly as possible to get them out of the away.

"The council was aware of Hansel's return to Beacon Academy, but not as a teacher. As headmaster of Beacon, I am allowed to make decisions I believe best for my school, without constant scrutiny from outside forces. I apologize if this caused concern for anyone, but I do stand behind my decision. As headmaster, I must concern myself with what I believe is best for my school, first and foremost."

"As for the last question I will gladly testify that Hansel is a good man who will do great things for his students and for this school. I don't care what his family history is. As far as I'm concerned, he's his own person. In this world, ignorance is dangerous, and in this case can cost us valuable allies like Professor Kobalt in the fight against the threats that live on our doorstep. In other words, treating people like a pariah, such as him for the things his family did, to me, is far more harmful than whatever fears anyone else has of his presence at Beacon."

"And I can assure you," Ozpin narrowed his eyes, now growing increasingly defensive of the young man he trained and raised for eight years, "those fears are absolutely unfounded. Whatever his flaws, Hansel is a good man who will do good things for this school, and you can quote me on that."

The press fell silent before a brief moment before resuming their "assault." "Would it be possible for you to bring Hansel Kobalt out for an interview? We would love to hear his opinion on the matter?"

At that moment, Glynda spoke up. And it was clear from the tone of her voice that she was not happy with their very existence at the moment. "Hansel is a very busy man with little time to take part in interviews. I'm afraid you'd be waiting an eternity to get a chance to speak with him. Now leave, you're bothering our students."

The press did not seem to care about that. They simply continued shouting, demanding that Hansel be brought out for an interview. Glynda growled under her breath and whispered into Ozpin's ear. "If they won't leave that technically means they're trespassing." She pointed out. "Can I just beat them up?"

Ozpin sighed. "Don't even think about it." He whispered back. "You'll just get your name dragged through the mud. Hansel wouldn't want you to do that for his sake."

Glynda grumbled at this. Ozpin sighed. "Glynda, the Great War was not fought to crush things like a free press. We'll come up with another way."

Ozpin's lips then curled into a very devious smirk. He had an idea to get rid of them. A perfectly legal idea. _So, they're really that hungry for an interview? I believe it's time to teach this crowd to be careful what they wish for._ Ozpin deviously thought to himself.

Ozpin reached into his pocket, took out his scroll, and dialed a certain number. "Bartholomew," he said after a few moments, "would you please come out to the courtyard? There are some reporters that could use the input of a man of your intellect."

On that day, the hero of Beacon Academy, was Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck. The students had still been watching the exchange, so they had front row seats to the utter demolishing Oobleck handed out to the vultures that were the mass media.

The thing is, Oobleck rarely was allowed to do interviews. Not because he was hostile to the media. Quite the opposite. He loved the press. People who asked questions and wanted to learn? Those were his favorite kinds of people. Unfortunately, the press did not reciprocate his love, big time.

Not that Oobleck noticed, of course. He did not realize that Ozpin only called him out here just so he could get rid of the press in his own special way. So, the man just droned on and on about subject after subject, which by the way, was part of a single, long-winded answer to his thoughts on Hansel's presence in Beacon.

"...In conclusion," an hour later, Oobleck was finally wrapping it up, "Ignorance is a very dangerous state, especially when it involves our fellow man. As history should tell you, we live in a world where we do not have the luxury to divide ourselves out of fear or hate for certain people. Any historian will tell you that the Grimm were far more dangerous to humanity in the Great War than the people fighting it were. This certainly does not excuse the actions of people like the Kobalt Family, but that does not mean we ostracize a white sheep from a family of black ones. It means we welcome that sheep into our flock wholeheartedly."

Oobleck took a deep breath. "Any questions?"

Each reporter and cameraman looked like their souls had been sucked from their bodies from this hour-long answer. "No," one replied softly, tiredly, speaking for everyone, "no more questions."

Glynda uncharacteristically chuckled, watching as the press filed out of Beacon like zombies. "Damn vultures." She said spitefully. "That'll teach them for trying to harass my Hansel like that."

"You are truly a terrifying woman when you don't like something, Glynda." Ozpin muttered under his breath.

While Beacon had managed to keep the media from interviewing their new combat professor, word still got out, unfortunately, as evidenced by the top story on every news outlet in Beacon.

Elsewhere, in the kingdom of Mistral, a certain older woman with beautiful crimson red hair reaching down to her back. Her blue eyes shone as she gazed at the TV before her from inside her study.

"...So, what do you think Hansel Kobalt's presence in Beacon as a teacher means for Professor Ozpin, who's popularity has resurged since the Vytal Festival?" Respected journalist Lisa Lavender asked.

"It's hard to say," the guest admitted, "while Professor Ozpin's judgement was vindicated by how his students conducted themselves during the invasion, the act of knowingly hiring someone with that name could very well cause his popularity to tank. It will depend on whether people trust him, or fear Hansel Kobalt more. We'll just have to wait and see what his approval looks like."

"Thank you," Lisa addressed the audience once more, "with this stunning news, some supporters of Faunus rights, strangely not including the White Fang, are questioning how someone from such an infamous family can be hired, and yet plenty of Faunus still find it difficult to find work. Joining me with her thoughts on the matter is our chief correspondent on all things Faunus-related, Hana Kumiho."

The camera panned over to a beautiful orange-haired bespectacled girl with fox ears. "Hana, great to see you. I haven't seen you since you left to do your piece in Mantle." Lisa noted.

"Great to be back, Lisa." Hana said pleasantly.

"Hansel Kobalt," the redheaded woman mused, "what an interesting turn of events."

With that, the woman quickly dialed a number on her scroll. "Hello Ted, sorry to call in the evening, but would it be possible to prepare my private aircraft for a flight to Vale, first thing tomorrow? Wonderful, Ted, you are not just a pilot, you're an angel."

The woman hung up and pressed a button on her desk. She then spoke into an intercom. "Gin, Chrysos, could you please enter my study?"

The clearly important lady waited as two individuals dressed in black entered. The first was a young man of eighteen years old with a scar over his right eye and black hair that had a streak of white in it. The second was a hulking behemoth of pure muscle with tanned skin, a completely bald head, and sunglasses covering his red eyes.

"Sorry for calling you boys so suddenly." She said. "Something important came up."

"Whatever it is, we as your bodyguards are ready to serve, Milady." The hulking man known as Chrysos Agamemnon said obediently.

"Oh, I don't deserve either of you boys." She chuckled. "We're flying to Vale tomorrow. I want you both to pack whatever you may need."

"Vale?" Gin Byakko, the young man next to Chrysos, was surprised. "Is this official business, Ma'am, or a social call?"

"Gin, her reasons matter little." Chrysos reminded him. "As her guards, we do not question, we simply protect."

"It's fine, Chrysos," the woman promised, "to answer your question, Gin, it's both."

Gin grinned. "Sweet, it's been awhile since we've seen Ms. Pyrrha, she's gonna be thrilled when we drop by."

Chrysos nodded in agreement. "We'll be ready to leave tomorrow, Lady Circe."

Circe Ithaca, brilliant politician, caring philanthropist, and aunt to Pyrrha Nikos, smiled at the dedication of her two best bodyguards. "Now that's what I like to hear, dismissed." She said, the two men leaving her study.

Circe's attention was then drawn back to the news. "...Now, hold on, Hana." Lisa spoke up. "Are you saying that the Faunus should not be angry that someone like Hansel Kobalt can find work, but they only can if they work in the mines?"

"Lisa, that's not what I'm saying at all." Hana shook her head. "My point is, nobody is owed a job. Our society, thankfully, is transitioning to a pure meritocracy, where the best qualified are able to find work."

"But what if there was a Faunus more qualified?"

"Professor Ozpin pushed for Leonardo Lionheart's position as Headmaster of Haven, he campaigned on his behalf relentlessly." Hana reminded Lisa. "I don't doubt Professor Ozpin's commitment to giving everyone a fair chance. Not necessarily equal outcomes, but equal opportunities."

"And that, Lisa, is what the Faunus truly want, not equal outcomes, but equal opportunities. The day we start demanding the former is when our society truly starts to decline. If I'm going to ask for a Faunus to be given a fair chance in a similar scenario, I must say the same for Professor Kobalt. I won't ask my fellow Faunus to rally behind him, as my job is to report and investigate. All I ask is for them to take what we know, the different sides to this story, and to form their own opinion."

Lisa was still stunned by Hana's shocking stance on the matter but managed a chuckle. "You're taking a very unpopular opinion to this, Hana. I'd warn you, but you seem to be used to playing devil's advocate."

Hana just laughed. "Playing devil's advocate can be fun." She admitted. "Especially when you think it's for the best."

"Anyway, I couldn't help but notice a lack of comments from Professor Kobalt. So, if he's watching this, I hope he'll one day agree to an interview." Hana continued, now addressing the audience. "I give my word as a dedicated journalist that it will be fair."

"...I'd give my word too, but a politician's word rarely means much, no matter how much good you want to do." Circe sighed, still looking forward to the social part of her trip.

But not looking forward to the business part.

And with that, a new week at Beacon Academy began. Going into their first combat class of the week, Team RWBY and the rest of their classmates were admittedly nervous about today. They had all seen the stories the media ran on Hansel last night. And they were worried he might be...particularly pissed about them.

Thankfully, whatever issues Hansel had with the media, he did not seem to be letting it bother him, as evidenced by his focus on a sparring match between Ren and Yatsuhashi. "Depending on your style," Hansel explained, "this sparring match needs to show you either how to fight someone faster than you, or how to fight someone physically stronger than you."

"Daichi, Ren, stop for a moment." Ren and Yatsuhashi did as asked.

Hansel looked at Yatsuhashi. "You're incorporating my advice into your fighting style, Daichi, your balance is already starting to improve. Good job. If you fought that Mercury Black again, you'd do better."

Yatsuhashi bowed in respect. "Thank you, sir."

"Ren," Hansel turned to the JNPR member, "you're fast, but you're not landing any lasting hits on him, and it's not just because Daichi's physical prowess far exceeds yours."

"Okay," Hansel turned to the rest of the class, "who can tell me why if this were a real fight, Daichi would win right now? Cast aside parts like the fact Daichi has a year of experience on his side."

"Well," Blake raised her hand, "it's as you said, sir, Ren's not landing any lasting hits. He's not striking any of Yatsuhashi's vital areas."

"Exactly," Hansel nodded, "as deadly as speed can be, it's not a decent weapon when used alone. Take Rose for example, she has recently tried to incorporate her Semblance into attacks to increase their impact. A damn good idea."

Ruby proudly smirked. "A good idea indeed." She said, making Hansel roll his eyes.

"Ren," Hansel turned back to Ren, "the only way you can win is for your opponent to lose. Battle is pretty black and white like that. And the only way your opponent can lose is for them to be rendered unable to continue. Which means even if you are fighting a physically superior opponent, you need to win."

"So use your speed to your advantage, concentrate on hitting your opponent's vital areas. No matter how strong they are, they fall over from being hit in the vitals like everyone else, unless they've got a bullshit healing factor."

"Like you, Teach? You never seem to fall." Yang pointed out.

Hansel sighed. "Yeah, I guess I do heal pretty quick." He admitted. "Obviously, it's not a perfect strategy. You need to be able to adjust on the fly as well."

"Anyway, I want you both to spar again. Daichi, keep doing what you're doing. Stand firm, don't try to outpace Ren. Just block and attack when he's open. It's easier to block attacks when you're stationary, especially when your opponent is faster."

"And Ren," Hansel continued, "try to aim for Daichi's vital areas. His aura should protect him from serious injuries, so you're free to go all out."

"Professor, if I may." Ren spoke up. "You telling me what my strategy will be is going to make Yatsuhashi defend those areas."

"I fail to see how that's my problem, Ren." Hansel pointed out. "You can't be a Huntsmen, if you can't adapt to the situation around you. So adapt."

Ren nodded in understanding as the two students stood at the ready again. Before they could resume, they heard the sound of Glynda Goodwitch over the intercom. "Professor Kobalt, could you please excuse Ms. Nikos? She's needed in the courtyard."

Hansel frowned slightly. He turned to Pyrrha, who looked just as confused as he did. "What's that all about, Nikos?" He asked.

"I...honestly don't know, sir." She admitted.

Hansel sighed. "Well, I can't really ignore a request from Glynda. Okay, Nikos, you're excused for whatever it is you're needed for."

Pyrrha rose from her seat. Jaune gave her a smile. "Don't worry, Pyrrha." He said. "I'll make sure to get you a copy of whatever notes you'll need."

Pyrrha thanked Jaune and exited the arena, wondering what it was she was needed in the courtyard for. Immediately, she wondered if it had something to do with the Fall Maiden. _Does Professor Ozpin have some sort of training exercise or mission for me to accelerate the process? No, Professor Kobalt would be accompanying me if that were the case._

Pyrrha soon reached the courtyard and was treated to a shocking sight. Professor Ozpin with two men in black, and a very familiar redheaded woman who was smiling happily at the sight of her.

Pyrrha let out a happy gasp before breaking into a run. "Auntie!" She exclaimed girlishly.

Circe Ithaca smiled and held her arms out. "Come here, Pyrrha." She said as her niece ran into her arms.

Pyrrha laughed as Circe embraced her. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were visiting! What's the occasion?"

"Hey now, you're my one and only niece," Circe reminded her, "I don't need an occasion to fly halfway around Remnant for you."

Ozpin smiled at the family reunion. "I must admit, when I was informed that one of Remnant's most famous philanthropists was coming here, I was surprised. But this little family reunion warms my heart." He mused.

For a brief moment, Pyrrha could have sworn she heard a somber edge in Ozpin's voice. She stopped thinking about it when Circe broke the embrace and smiled at Ozpin. "Indeed, thank you for accommodating my bodyguards and I on such short notice, Professor." She said with a slight bow. "You are a very generous man."

Pyrrha then noticed who the bodyguards were and smiled widely. "Gin, Chrysos!" She said gleefully. "It's so great to see you two! It's been awhile!"

"'Sup, Ms. Pyrrha." Gin grinned.

Chrysos let a small smile grace his serious face. "And it is great to see you as well, Ms. Pyrrha. I hope your time at Beacon is going well."

"Hey now, aunt gets first dib on asking questions about her life, Chrysos." Circe laughed.

Circe addressed Pyrrha once more. "So, how are your studies? Have you made any new friends?" Circe's face then contorted into a teasing one as she asked her third question. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Pyrrha turned as red as her hair. "Aunt Circe!" She shrieked, scandalized.

Circe just laughed at her embarrassed niece, throwing her arm around her shoulder. "Come on, let's go inside, you can tell me all about it. It's been awhile since we've had any girl talk."

Chrysos immediately walked up to the two. "I'm afraid it can't be merely girl talk, Madam." He pointed out. "As your bodyguard, you must remain within my sight at all times."

"Ugh, loosen up, Chrysos." Circe teased. "We're in friendly territory. Who's going to hurt me here."

"Even so, your safety is my number one priority, I must insist I remain close to you."

Chrysos turned to where Gin was. "Gin, you agree don't you?"

Much to the serious man's shock, Gin had vanished. He immediately growled like a wild bear. "Where did that boy go?" He snarled.

Circe sighed. "Oh, if I know Gin, he's probably sightseeing around the school. New sights are like a drug to him. It was hard enough keeping him in sight when we were in the city."

"That damn brat." Chrysos growled. "He can't shirk his responsibilities like this."

"Chrysos, it's fine." Circe insisted. "Gin is who he is, and I wouldn't change anything about him. Besides, you're more than enough to protect me. I just brought him along because I knew he hated being cooped up in the mansion for too long."

Chrysos fell silent at this. "...I suppose when you put it like that, I can accept your reasoning, Lady Circe." He conceded. "However, as his senior, I must still punish him for this."

"Don't be too harsh, Chrysos." Circe warned. "He means well, and you know that."

Pyrrha sighed. "I wonder where Gin went this time?"

"Well, since this is a Huntsmen Academy, I can imagine where his first destination will be." Circe admitted. "Why don't we head there first? I simply must see the halls of the school my precious niece has been frequenting."

Pyrrha turned red again. "Just...don't embarrass me too much."

"No promises."

Meanwhile, back at the combat class, Ren and Yatsuhashi had long finished up their sparring match. Now, Ruby and Yang were going head to head, much to Yang's eagerness. "Been a long time since we had a sisterly sparring match." Yang grinned.

"That's because you always won those." Ruby pointed out. "I promised myself I wouldn't spar with you again until I could hang with you."

"I think I can now."

"I want you two to spar because of the amount of attention I spent trying to get you both to improve on your respective styles." Hansel explained. "I want to see if you've taken it to heart."

 _I shouldn't expect too much._ Hansel added inwardly. _They're probably still sore from detention. Even I took awhile to get used to my cloak when I first started wearing it. This is just to see if they've been paying attention._

Hansel raised his hand, ready to begin the match. However, no sooner had his hand moved an inch, he suddenly sensed an attack aimed at _him_ of all people. Hansel's eyes widened, instinctively drawing his sword and pivoting 90 degrees.

The class watched in shock as Hansel blocked the kick of a young man with dark hair and a white streak. Ruby's eyes widened at how fast it had happened. _I didn't even see any of them move. I only caught the tail-end of Professor Kobalt's fight with Reaper. Is this really how fast professional Huntsmen are?_

"Okay, and just who the hell are you?" Hansel asked, pissed off at being attacked without warning. The attacker was now standing on top of his katana.

"Man, you are something. I was going full speed and you didn't even flinch." Gin Byakko noted.

"That did not answer my question." Hansel growled. "If you don't tell me who you are, I will treat you as an enemy, and you don't want to see what I do to my enemies."

"You don't want to see what he does to his allies, either." Yang joked. "Here's a hint, it involves running and weighted clothing."

Gin laughed and propelled himself off of Hansel. "The name's Gin Byakko, I'm a bodyguard under the service of the Lady Circe Ithaca, who's here on both personal and work-related matters."

This caught Jaune's attention. "Circe Ithaca? You mean Pyrrha's aunt? Is she why Pyrrha went to the courtyard?"

Gin laughed. "'Pyrrha's aunt', in the four years I've spent in Lady Circe's service, that's the first I've heard anyone call her that. Most people call her 'Miss' or 'Lady', but 'Pyrrha's aunt', oh man that's a new one."

Gin then realized something, looking at Jaune. "Wait a minute, blonde hair, scrawny, a dopey, unassuming face." He said as the gears in his head started to turn. "You're Jaune, aren't you?"

Jaune fell over at such an unflattering description of himself. Yang laughed at Gin's sense of humor. "Oh man, I like you." She said. "I like you _a lot_."

Gin turned his attention to Yang and gasped at the sight of her. His face then contorted into a smirk. "Now, now, don't say things like that." He teased as his next words surprised Yang. "Keep that up, and I might start taking you seriously. Cuties like you shouldn't tease a man so."

Much to Ruby's shock, Yang turned red at this. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," she yelled angrily, "I do the flirting and teasing here, pal! Don't you _dare_ out-me _me_!"

Gin just grinned. "Is that a challenge?" He asked. "I'm not the type to back down, you know. You may find me a little hard to handle."

"I am going to tease circles around you., you jerk!" Yang vowed. "And for the record, I'm sexy, not cute! There's a difference!"

"That's what you're taking offense to?" Ruby exclaimed.

Gin laughed. "Sounds like fun, nice to meet you..." He trailed off, realizing he did not have her name.

Yang remembered her manners and sighed. "Yang Xiao Long, it's...nice to meet you, all things considered."

"Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way." Hansel spoke up, still irritated with Gin's sudden entrance. "What the hell is one of Circe Ithaca's bodyguards doing here, interrupting my class?"

"Easy there, friend, I was getting to that." Gin promised. "Like I said, Lady Circe is here on business, and I wanted to sightsee. I've never been to Beacon Academy and I just _love_ new experiences."

"So your idea of a new experience is attempting to sneak attack someone who frankly doesn't appreciate sneak attacks." Hansel deadpanned.

"Hey I knew you'd be okay, you are Hansel Kobalt after all." Gin pointed out, smiling brightly without a care in the world. "Either you block my kick, or you just take it with no problem."

Before Gin could further justify his actions, a single voice silenced him as a chill went up his spine. "Gin," hissed Chrysos Agamemnon. Pyrrha and Circe were standing behind the hulking man with looks of sympathy on their faces.

Gin nervously looked over his shoulder, sweating profusely. "H-hey, Chrysos."

Gin immediately turned and began to run away, desperately trying to escape, only to be grabbed by Chrysos, who had appeared behind him in an instant, grabbing Gin by the neck. "No Bear Claw!" Gin pleaded. "Please for the love of God, no Bear Claw!"

"If you don't want my claw that badly, don't do foolish things like this!" Chrysos pointed out, tightening his grip on Gin's neck, making the young man shriek in fear and pain.

As the class gazed at Chrysos' punishment in a mixture of fear and disbelief, Hansel was warily gazing at Chrysos. _I barely saw him move, and his Aura levels are insanely high for a bodyguard._ Hansel noted. _That guy's tough. Leagues ahead of that Byakko guy, in fact. Where does Ithaca find her bodyguards?_

Hansel then noticed the top of a familiar tattoo on the back of Chrysos' neck. It was mostly hidden by his shirt, almost intentionally. Hansel's eyes widened. _No way…_

It was a mafia tattoo. As in, the guy had once upon a time been an enforcer for a mob boss. Maybe Corleone, considering the guy's impressive power level.

Circe laughed before deciding to come to Gin's defense. "I think he's got the point, Chrysos, you can release him now."

"As you wish." Chrysos nodded, dropping Gin to the ground, leaving him gasping, clutching his neck.

Circe took a moment to look at the class. "And you must be Pyrrha's classmates," she noted, "I hope you've all become great friends. She's such a sweet girl."

"Oh yeah, Pyrrha's awesome." Nora Valkyrie immediately spoke up, making Pyrrha smile.

"Yeah, super nice too." Ruby added.

"Super nice, eh? Good for you, Pyrrha, I'm so happy that you're treating people the way you should." Circe could not help but smother Pyrrha with a hug.

"Auntie…" Pyrrha groaned in embarrassment.

Circe looked out at the crowd. "I would love to try to get to know all of you before I leave. It would mean the world to me, considering how much Pyrrha talks about her amazing friends."

Gin made a full recovery from Chrysos' punishment and shot up to his feet. "I want to get to know you too!" He declared. "And there's only one way to do that!"

"Gin…" Chrysos warned.

"A totally awesome battle royale!" Gin cheered. "All of you against me!"

"Someone's cocky." Yang folded her arms.

"Actually, he has every reason to be, Yang." Pyrrha admitted. "Gin's actually stronger than I am."

Everyone gazed at Pyrrha in shock. This guy was stronger than her? Gin eagerly turned to Hansel. "What do ya say, Professor? You don't mind me hijacking class for this, do you?"

Hansel gazed at Gin quizzically before shrugging. "Go ahead," he said, "makes no difference to me. Might be a good learning experience."

"But Nikos and Team RWBY, you are barred from participating." Hansel informed them.

"Why?!" Ruby whined.

"Your team is still sore from detention, Rose." Hansel reminded her. "Don't think I haven't noticed how sluggish you all were coming into class. You would just be a liability. That's fine though, your bodies still need to adjust to the workload. As for Nikos, she knows Gin, so her fighting would be pointless."

"It wouldn't make much of a difference anyway." Pyrrha added. "Like I said, Gin's way stronger than me. Chrysos trained him, and Chrysos is one of the strongest fighters I've ever seen."

Hansel nodded in understanding. "Okay, I want everyone participating out in the arena. The rest of you, up in the stands with me."

Ruby grumbled, clearly not okay with being sidelined, but followed Yang and Pyrrha into the stands. Gin, meanwhile, had the biggest grin on his face as he watched the other 11 students join him in the arena.

"I'll let you guys make the first move." Gin promised.

"Hey, it's Chrysos, right?" Hansel spoke up to Chrysos.

"Yes?"

"How long are they going to last against him?" Hansel asked curiously.

"Not long," Chrysos admitted bluntly, "Gin is a fool, but he's a natural talent. He had the misfortune of not being able to receive a proper education due to some...past incidents. So, I took it upon myself to pick up the slack. Now, he's stronger than any other student."

 _Must've been quite the teacher, for a former mobster._ Hansel noted inwardly.

Russell Thrush immediately rushed in to attack Gin. Gin chuckled and was immediately propelled off the ground by his boots suddenly igniting out the back, like rocket thrusters. In the process, he easily avoided Russell's attack. "Whoa, that's an interesting weapon of choice." Ruby gazed at the boots with stars in his eyes.

"They're like that Mercury's feet, but with rockets instead of shotguns." Yang added.

"And now they've lost." Chrysos said with certainty.

Hansel watched with newfound interest as Gin's features suddenly became more feral. His teeth turned into fangs, his eyes became like a wild beast's, and his own Aura flared up to the point where it almost seemed like it was an animal on a rampage. "Is he a Faunus?" Weiss asked in surprise.

Circe shook her head. "No, Gin is quite human." She said, watching as Gin rocketed back and kicked Russell in the head, flooring him and leaving him unconscious.

"It's his Semblance, which he appropriately named 'Beast Mode.'" Chrysos rolled his eyes at how childish the name sounded. "Gin can increase his physical attributes at will by transforming his body into a more beast-like state, hence the tiger-like fangs in his mouth."

Gin rocketed forward now, grabbing Dove and Sky and driving them into the concrete, leaving them both unconscious. Coco quickly transformed her handbag into a minigun, only for Gin to turn his attention on her. "Gotta take out the long-ranged fighter first." He noted, delivering a powerful kick to Coco's stomach that sent the girl airborne.

"Coco!" Yatsuhashi yelled out in concern as his leader hit the ground and laid there, motionless.

Cardin bravely swung his mace at Gin, only for the beast-like man to grab the mace and yank Cardin forward, driving his forehead into Cardin's with a powerful headbutt. Cardin groaned and slumped forward, unconscious.

Gin then turned his attention to the 6 remaining students and rocketed forward to them at speeds none of them could keep up with, and began to knock them out one by one. Nora swung her hammer out in front of her, only for Gin to leap into the air and kick her square in the face, knocking her out.

Fox managed to follow Gin's movements and tried a sneak attack, only for Gin to notice his presence and rocket himself into the air, delivering an uppercut to his jaw, sending Fox airborne.

Yatsuhashi sent out a shockwave with his blade, standing protectively in front of Jaune while Jaune desperately tried to come up with a strategy to beat this guy. However, Gin suddenly appeared out of a slipstream behind Yatsuhashi and karate-chopped him in the neck, making the big man slump forward.

"Sorry about this, Jauney-boy." Gin apologized with a feral smirk.

Jaune desperately held his shield out in front of him as Gin threw a powerful kick. Thankfully, Jaune managed to block it, however the force of the kick was actually so strong, it lifted him off his feet and sent him into the wall. Jaune could only groan, as he slid down the wall.

Pyrrha winced at her crush falling like that. But, unfortunately it was to be expected. She watched as Ren desperately tried to shoot Gin down with Stormflower, only for Gin to vanish into a slipstream once more. He then reappeared and delivered a rocket-powered knee into Ren's gut, making the young man's eyes bulge.

"Eye of the tiger, baby." Gin bragged, turning his attention to the last of the students.

Velvet Scarlatina stared at her 10 unconscious classmates in disbelief. That took a total of 20 seconds. Gin had managed to knock them all out in a third of a minute. Ruby was staring at Gin, agape. "Hey, Mr. Chrysos, you said he had no education?" Ruby asked for confirmation.

"As I said before, Gin had some misfortune early in his life, and as such could not receive the same education as you students do." Chrysos explained. "When he came into Lady Circe's service he was utterly useless, but he wanted to do well for her sake. So, I took it upon myself to make him strong. What you are seeing is the result of someone who only trained for the past 4 years. No way was I going to let a weakling protect Lady Circe. He lived and breathed training."

"It certainly made him a more confident young man. I'm proud of him." Circe admitted, watching as Gin prepared to resume his assault and end this battle royale.

Hansel could not help but stare at Gin in newfound respect. _Living and breathing training, huh?_ Hansel noted. _And not being afforded the same opportunities for whatever reason...this guy...is kinda like me._

Ruby kept her attention entirely on Gin. _So this is the kind of strength you need to be a pro._ She thought, gazing at Gin with newfound respect like Hansel.

Yang just pouted. "Showoff." She muttered with no sense of irony.

Velvet quickly generated a copy of a weapon from her camera. Gin gasped in amazement as Blake's Gambol Shroud suddenly appeared on Velvet's hands. "Whoa, that camera is freaking awesome!" He cheered before grinning bestialy.

Velvet bravely stood her ground, in a stance just like Blake's, thanks to her Semblance. It was actually not a bad strategy. She knew she had to use a weapon Gin had not seen yet. Fighting up close with Ember Celica was out of the question, Crescent Rose left too many openings, and Myrtenaster could not be properly used without Weiss's Glyphs.

That left Gambol Shroud as her only option…

Gin vanished into a slipstream once more. Velvet's ears twitched, managing to track Gin's movements with sound. Seeing he was going to attack from the left, Velvet spun around and swung Gambol Shroud.

Gin's eyes widened slightly as he rocketed over Velvet's swing. She actually forced him to dodge the attack. Faunus really were dangerous to fight. Their animal-like qualities gave them skills like advanced hearing, which made them great at tracking the movements of even him.

Gin then held his feet out above him and used his boots to rocket into Velvet, body-slamming her into the ground. "Not bad, Bunny-Girl," he complimented as Velvet went limp, unconscious, "but not good enough."

Gin rose up and raised his index finger into the air. "The eye of the tiger!" He yelled again.

Chrysos heaved a sigh. "Now if only he weren't such a show-off." He lamented.


	18. Chapter 18: An Aunt's Love

**A.N: After five years of writing a fight-scene heavy fanfic, it's definitely weird to do one that has enough plot to match the fights. I mean, Wild Hunt is still action-adventure first and foremost, but I do honestly enjoy these moments. As long as I think they're well-executed of course. Hope you think the same.**

 **Chapter 18: An Aunt's Love**

After combat class came to an end, and everyone recovered from the sheer ass-whooping from the powerhouse known as Gin Byakko, the day proceeded as normal. Circe Ithaca had a very simple message for Pyrrha before she continued her day. "Just go about your day like normal, dear. I'd like to meet with a few of your teachers. We'll meet up after lunch. I still want to get to know all those wonderful friends you've told me so much about."

 _What could Aunt Circe want to speak with my teachers about?_ Pyrrha wondered. _Perhaps a partnership of sorts? That must be it, she probably wants to help try and properly mobilize the newfound support for the Huntsmen Academies. And considering Professor Ozpin's status as a leader in the teaching community..._

"Your aunt is super nice, Pyrrha!" Pyrrha was cut out of her thoughts by a gleeful Ruby Rose. "Like, super duper nice!"

Pyrrha was walking with her friends-Team RWBY and Team JNPR-to their next class. She instinctively smiled, hearing the praise being heaped on her aunt and substitute parental figure. "She is amazing." Pyrrha acknowledged without hesitation. "Probably the best role model a person could ask for."

"And the best boss you could ever work for." All eight students jumped at the familiar voice.

Ren, Nora and Jaune all flinched when they saw Gin Byakko appearing, seemingly out of nowhere. He gave them all a friendly smile, as though he did not beat up ⅜'s of them in less than 2 minutes. "'Sup, Ms. Pyrrha's friends. Hope you don't mind little old me tagging along."

"Actually, we do mind." Yang glared competitively at Gin, still not appreciating his attempts at "out me-ing" her during class.

Gin just laughed. "Cool, I'll tag along anyway. Getting to know Ms. Pyrrha's friends is a treat. Especially after Lady Circe practically shoved the letters she used to write home into mine and Chrysos' face."

Pyrrha turned as red as her hair. "You read those letters? Gin, those were private!" She exclaimed, scandalized.

Gin raised his hands in defense. "Lady Circe didn't give me much of a choice. Like I said, she kinda shoved the letters in my face and made me read 'em." He then smiled warmly. "I gotta tell you though, Ms. Pyrrha, the moment she found out you made friends, that was the happiest I had seen her in awhile."

"D-don't be so honest about it." Pyrrha still sounded so embarrassed. "It sounds weird."

"I don't think it's weird at all." Jaune offered. "Pyrrha, you wrote to your own family about us. That's like one of the sweetest things you could do."

If Pyrrha could turn even redder, she would have. Gin chuckled at the sight. _The best part of those letters was Ms. Pyrrha coming to terms with how she felt about Jauney-boy._ He noted. _And if he keeps acting like an accidental Casanova without even realizing it...hoo boy, Ms. Pyrrha's letters in the future are going to have a lot of heartache and longing._

"Hey, Jauney." Gin addressed Jaune. "I know you probably don't think this after I kicked ya in the stomach. But I actually do like you, a lot."

"Umm...thank you?" Jaune was honestly confused by such a random statement.

What Jaune failed to realize was that was Gin giving his blessing for Jaune to eventually realize how he felt about Pyrrha and subsequently date her. Pyrrha meant a lot to Gin, almost as much as Lady Circe did. So, of course the boy Pyrrha liked had to get his approval. Jaune was not much in the strength department, but he made Pyrrha happy. And thankfully, that was enough for Gin.

"So, anyway, what're the rest of your classes like?" Gin eagerly asked. "'Cause I'm totally cool with sitting in on them if it means getting to hang out with you guys."

"Try saying that after experiencing the hellish nightmare that is Professor Port's class." Yang muttered, dreading being 'zombified' once more by Port's god awful stories about himself.

"You can totally hang out with us, Gin." Ruby smiled. "And afterwards, you've gotta tell me all about how you got so strong without going to any Huntsmen Academies."

Pyrrha briefly noticed Gin's face fall before it returned to its usually happy look. "It's really nothing special." Gin promised. "I just had a hell of a teacher in Chrysos."

"What about you?" Gin asked Ruby. "I saw you on TV during the Vytal Festival. You must be quite the pint-sized powerhouse to be able to wield a scythe that's your freaking height."

Ruby immediately began to geek out, finding a kindred spirit in the equally as bubbly and eager Gin Byakko. "Well, I mean, I designed Crescent Rose myself, so I guess the fact I'm able to wield it so well is just a testament to how awesome I am." She could not help but brag.

"No. Freaking. Way!" Gin geeked out too, much to the disbelief of everyone except Pyrrha. "You designed that thing! Awesome! Totally awesome!"

 _Great,_ Yang lamented, _of course my little sister hits it right off with this guy._

And thus, Pyrrha discovered the only thing that surpassed Gin's limitless energy and enthusiasm: a combination of all that with Ruby's.

Meanwhile, as Hansel Kobalt began entering his office to enjoy a break before his next class, his attention was suddenly grabbed by a woman clearing her voice behind him. "My apologies, Professor Kobalt." Said Circe Ithaca, flanked by Chrysos Agamemnon. "I know it's rude of me to come to you unannounced, but you left your class so quickly."

Hansel narrowed his eyes, immediately catching onto the reason why Circe finished. "Of course," he muttered, "I should've realized it sooner."

He sighed. "Sorry," he said, "had I known you had come here because of me, I wouldn't have just bolted."

"Oh, don't be so full of yourself." Circe said in a lighthearted tone. "I'll admit, the news report of your new job was part of the reason, but it gave me a reason to play hooky from all the politics and see my adorable niece."

Circe smiled. "I promise you, Professor, I have no intention of being unfair to you. I just want to talk, get a few things out in the open. That's it."

"And after that," Circe continued, "you won't have to worry about me at all. I'll spend all my time with Pyrrha and her friends, maybe throw in a quick meeting with Professor Ozpin about some important business that will benefit Beacon, but I won't bother you after this."

Hansel looked at Circe's face, as though he were searching for any lies. That was the thing about liars. Usually they had some sort of tell that gave them away. Hansel could not find one. So, he decided to indulge Circe and nodded. "Okay," he said, "let's talk. I've got some time before my next class."

Circe smiled brightly. "Wonderful," she said, turning to Chrysos, "you can wait outside, Chrysos. I'd rather this be between the two of us."

"Milady, I'm your bodyguard." Chrysos reminded her.

"And we're in friendly territory." Circe reminded him. "And besides, I trust young Professor Kobalt. I ask that you do the same. And if you can't, then trust my judgment at least."

Hansel frowned at Chrysos eyeing him. Always the same. People looked at him like a criminal, all because of his family name. Chrysos turned back to Circe and bowed in respect. "As you wish, Lady Circe."

Hansel opened the door to his office. "After you." He said, showing some surprising manners. Something he could thank Glynda for.

Circe entered Hansel's office and was immediately left in awe at the sight. "My word, it's like a dorm room." She noted. "Not what I expected from a member of the faculty."

"You're not the first person to say that." Hansel admitted, remembering his meeting with Ruby in what seemed like such a long time ago. "But, when I came back, it just made sense to Professor Ozpin that I moved back into my old room."

Circe hummed thoughtfully, before gazing at Hansel in a twinge of sympathy. "I see," she said, "so this is where you ended up after _that_ incident. You have my condolences, Professor."

"Ma'am, I'd rather you stay honest with me." Hansel cut her off. "You don't really mean that, not when it comes to the Kobalts."

"I do though," Circe assured him, "I may not agree with the things your family did, Professor, but nobody deserves what happened to them."

Hansel fell silent before shaking his head. "I'm not here to be pitied, Ms. Ithaca." He told her. "Just tell me why you're here."

Circe sighed. She took a seat in one of the two chairs facing each other. Hansel took the free one. "Very well, let's get down to business." Circe nodded in understanding. "As I'm sure you figured out, Professor, as soon as I saw the story about your position here at Beacon, I flew out here the first chance I could because I wanted to meet you."

"But see," Circe continued, "I'm not speaking with you as Circe Ithaca, the politician. I'm speaking with you as Circe Ithaca, Pyrrha Nikos' aunt and legal guardian."

Hansel seemed to relax considerably upon hearing that. For a brief moment, he saw Glynda Goodwitch sitting in place of her. "I do apologize if the realization of why I was here caused you any undue stress." Circe continued.

"Don't be," Hansel brushed it off, "I was the one who assumed it. If you are here out of concern for your niece, then I have no right to be pissed. So, what is it you want to talk about?"

"Well, like I said, I'm here as her aunt." Circe repeated. "I'm here, so to speak, as a parent concerned for her child's education and the direction it's going in."

"You and probably a ton of other parents who can't stand me because of my family." Hansel sighed. "I wouldn't be surprised a ton of students suddenly dropped out because of me being here."

Circe gave Hansel a sympathetic gaze. "And that really is unfair, don't you think?"

"Professor," Circe continued, "I promise you, I hold nothing regarding your family's actions against you. You're your own person, a person who has tried to do much good for Remnant."

"After all, you work so hard to protect us from dangerous terrorists like Gray Jackal." Circe reminded him. "And you undertake such a dangerous job, knowing you'll probably receive no thanks from the populace. To be honest, if people would just look at you from that perspective, I think they'd realize they have no reason to fear or hate you."

"It's not like I do it for their thanks." Hansel denied. Deep down though, he knew that was a lie. A part of him truly did want to be praised. To be recognized for his efforts, and not just for some damn name he had no say in receiving.

Circe smiled knowingly. "Well, let me thank you for your service, Professor." She said. "Thanks to you, people are able to sleep better at night because Gray Jackal cannot disturb their very lives. And they don't even realize it. Thanks to you, life is quite trying for those terrorists. And for terrorists, a trying life is the least they deserve."

"You've done so much for a world that irrationally hates you. Thank you."

"Are you trying to soften me up for what comes next?" Hansel raised an eyebrow.

Circe could not help but laugh. "Take it anyway you will." She said. "But I promise you, I meant what I said."

"Anyway, about me being here as the 'concerned parent.'" Circe got back on track. "While I did mean everything I said, how I feel about you as a teacher still stands."

"The truth is, Professor, much like those parents who worry you so, I too am honestly considering transferring Pyrrha from this school to Haven, or even to Atlas." Circe revealed. "As much as I'd like to say otherwise, I just can't unconditionally trust a school that would hire a teacher young enough to be a student. Youth usually means inexperience, unfortunately. And inexperience is not what students need from their teachers when they are learning to survive in such a harsh career field."

"Is there a 'but' or an 'unless' somewhere?" Hansel inquired, not surprised by Circe's statement at all.

Circe smiled. "I may be playing the role of the concerned parent here, Professor, but I'm still a woman of fairness and courtesy first and foremost. I'm more than willing to let her stay in Beacon if you can prove to me that you as a teacher can bring out the best in her."

Hansel nodded, folding his arms. _Of all the guardians who had to confront me on this, it had to be the guardian of one of the two students Beacon can't afford to lose._ Hansel lamented.

He really must have been born under an unlucky star for crap like this to happen to him. "You know, you're kinda putting me on the spot here." Hansel could not help but point out to stall for time, while trying to come up with an answer to her challenge.

Circe smiled apologetically. "I know, and I'm sorry." She said. "But, unfortunately, this was something I had to do in-person, and the sooner the better."

Hansel thought over his answer before replying with a question of his own. "Does your niece know about your intentions?"

Circe was honestly surprised by Hansel's response. "No," she replied.

Hansel nodded. "Well, good luck in trying to get her to agree to this. She's made so many friends here, and not being able to nurture and maintain those friendships any longer is going to eat at her if you suddenly decide to change her school."

Circe looked hurt by that. "I don't want that." She promised. "I just want what's best for Pyrrha."

"Like any decent parental figure should." Hansel acknowledged. "I was lucky to finally experience what that was like when I got dropped off here."

"But if you really wanted what was best for your niece, you'd keep her here, in a place that doesn't care that she's some sort of celebrity." Hansel told her. "Take it from someone who doesn't like his own 'fame' either, the last thing she needs is to go to Haven, where she'll be put right back on that pedestal, or Atlas, where she's practically guaranteed an officer's rank because of who she is."

"At Beacon, people are treated like people, not as potential soldiers, and certainly not like celebrities." Hansel acknowledged, before finding himself becoming a bit more sentimental. "It's...why I love this place...it's my home."

"Your niece," Hansel got back to the subject of Pyrrha, "just wants to be an individual, not a goddess that's above the rest. And the friends she's made make her feel like an individual. If you plan to spend time with your niece and her friends after our meeting, you'll see it. Not a single one of them cares about who she is."

Circe could not help but smile. "That does make me happy." She admitted. "I could tell her fame was starting to wear on her."

"Then why'd you let her continue?"

"That's a long story." Circe admitted. "Her motivations...God, they changed so much throughout her life."

"Anyway," Hansel continued, knowing she did not want to further explain, "you take her out of Beacon, and she loses that individuality. Right now, that's her biggest fear. And that fear coming true...that's probably the worst thing that can happen to her at the moment."

"How do you know all of this?" Circe inquired curiously, honestly surprised that Hansel had her niece pegged like that.

"Because I'm her teacher." Hansel bluntly responded. "I've had to learn about the hopes, aspirations, and fears of every single one of my students these past few weeks, whether I wanted to or not."

 _Oh my God._ Hansel realized, comically disgusted with himself. _Am I more involved in the lives of my students then I first thought? That is such bullshit._

"I see," Circe hummed thoughtfully at this. However, there was still one more thing she had to cover, "even if I acknowledge that you are attentive enough to the feelings of your students to qualify as a decent teacher, how can I be certain you are capable of preparing my niece for the dangers of the life of a Huntsmen?"

Hansel sighed. "Now that, I'm not sure I can answer." He admitted. "The thing is, me being hired was a shock _to me_. Professor Ozpin just...outright told me to come back and be a teacher out of the blue."

"Why?" Circe inquired curiously.

"I can't pretend to understand what he's thinking a hundred percent of the time." Hansel shrugged. "But I do trust his judgment."

"So you expect me to agree that you are qualified enough to continue teaching my niece based on Professor Ozpin's judgment?" Circe raised an eyebrow.

Hansel shook his head. "While I still don't fully understand his motives, what I do know is combat." He pointed out to her. "It's just as you said, I'm in the thick of it, fighting terrorist cells, practically every day. If there's anyone who understand the dangers of this life, it's me. Maybe Professor Ozpin wanted me to pass that knowledge on to the students here."

"Every professor knows the dangers of the Huntsmen life." Circe pointed out.

"I have used my knowledge of battle to compile reports on the strengths and weaknesses of each of my students." Hansel told her. "And I've given those reports to every single students. Your niece has sought me out to improve on her own weaknesses. A few days ago, I spent an entire detention period making students run laps so that they get something other than a punishment out of it. I can go on and on about the ways I'm trying to help these kids so they don't die out there, which is the last thing anyone should want, let alone a teacher."

"But you know, even if you still don't believe in me as a teacher," Hansel continued, "for some reason, my students do. And if Professor Ozpin's word isn't enough, then why not trust the students who seem to think I'm doing a good job."

Circe was once against silenced by Hansel's logic. "You've given me much to think about, Professor." Circe admitted.

Hansel sighed. "Look," he said, "since we're being honest here, I'll come right out and say it: I never wanted this job. I work better in the field. Not cooped up in some classroom."

"So why stick around?" Circe inquired.

"Because Professor Ozpin asked me to stick with this job, and he believes I can do something for them." Hansel said bluntly. "And as long as he wants me around, I intend to offer as much as I can to your niece, and the rest of the academy."

 _Even if it is something I do on the side._ Hansel added inwardly. _This job won't interfere in my mission, my purpose._

Circe seemed to consider Hansel's words. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Getting to meet you in person and seeing just what you really are like, it really makes me wish the world could see the real you, Professor." She admitted.

Hansel raised an eyebrow. "And what is the real me, by your definition?" He asked curiously.

"Someone with tremendous loyalty to the people he cares for, like Professor Ozpin. Someone with a strong sense of duty and conviction. Someone who is willing to set aside his personal feelings to do what is right." Circe replied.

Hansel gazed at Circe and sighed inwardly. _She got three...but I don't just do this because it's right. This is all for my sake. It has been from the start..._

"I'll leave you to your next class, Professor." Circe cut Hansel out of his musings. "If you'll excuse me, I have a niece to smother with love."

Hansel nodded. "Of course," he said politely, "this was a very...pleasant chat, Ms. Ithaca."

Circe rose from her seat and made her way to the doorway out of Hansel's office. Hansel's voice then stopped her. "Ms. Ithaca, I'll be completely honest with you." He said. "I do my best to judge every person as an individual. Doing otherwise would make me no better than all the people who judge me for my name."

"But even so, it's hard for me not to judge politicians because I've honestly never personally met a decent one."

Circe could not help but give Hansel a confused gaze from such a statement. Hansel noticed this and sighed. "S-sorry," he said in embarrassment, "I'm really bad at this stuff. What I'm trying to say is…um…thanks for being the first politician I've actually liked."

Circe giggled at Hansel's adorable embarrassment before nodding in understanding. "You're very welcome, Professor." She said before exiting his office.

And so, Circe left Hansel in contemplation and to prepare for his next class. She was immediately greeted by Chrysos. She noticed how close he seemed to be to the door and smiled knowingly. "Chrysos," she teased, "were you spying on us?"

Chrysos coughed in embarrassment. "My apologies, Madam." He said. "I just…if I don't know you're safe, I'm afraid I feel tremendous anxiety."

Circe smiled, truly touched by Chrysos' amazing loyalty. "You should work on that," she told him, "there's more to life than your job, Chrysos."

Chrysos fell silent at this. Circe realized she might have overstepped her bounds and sighed. "I'm sorry," she said, "I wasn't thinking."

"No, it's fine, I know you mean well, Madam." Chrysos said softly. "However, this job _is_ my life. It became my life when…"

"No," Circe cut him off, "you don't have to relive it anymore, Chrysos, that was in the past. We are in the present now. It's up to us to make sure our futures are nothing like our past."

"...I couldn't agree more, Madam." Chrysos responded. "Now then, shall we find Ms. Pyrrha?"

Circe shook her head. "No, I think we should see if Professor Ozpin is available for a meeting. I'm sure he has cleared his schedule with me here. Besides, Gin's definitely with them. And I seriously doubt you're going to restrain from giving him another Bear Claw."

Chrysos growled at the very mention of Gin's free-spirited ways. Circe chuckled. "Let's let Gin have a few moments of freedom then." She decided. "Before you punish him for the second time today."

While Circe went to meet with Professor Ozpin, the day went on for the students of Beacon Academy. It was now past lunchtime, and Teams RWBY and JNPR, accompanied by the still-happy and energetic Gin Byakko, found themselves enjoying a free period in Team JNPR's room.

"It's...pretty crowded in here." Ren noted.

"The more the merrier, Renny!" Nora cheered.

"Or in Ren's case, the more the Rennier." Yang joked before looking around, eagerly, fishing for laughter. "Huh? Huh?"

All she got were snickers from Gin, who had made himself at home, leaning in Jaune's desk chair. And they were not snickers because of her joke. "Swing and a miss." He teased.

Yang turned red with anger, her eyes lit up bright red as sparks of fire started to dance around her hair. "Yang…" Ruby nervously warned her sister.

Gin noticed Yang tense up and smirked competitively. "Oho? You want to go, Yang?" He inquired eagerly. "I didn't get to see you fight in my battle royale with the rest of the class, so it might be fun."

"The thought is quite tempting." Yang admitted.

"Yang, we are guests in someone else's room, behave yourself." Weiss chided her.

"And honestly, Yang, I'm afraid you've got no chance at beating Gin." Pyrrha admitted. "Like I keep saying, Gin's even stronger than I am."

Yang's eyes turned to normal, as did her hair. She was still pouting though. Gin smiled reassuringly. "I don't mean anything by it, Yang." He promised. "I just like pushing people's buttons to keep 'em on their toes and keep 'em nice and loose."

"Oh yeah, caught plenty of that back in the day." Pyrrha rolled her eyes, making Gin chuckle.

"Yang is the last person who needs to loosen up." Blake sighed.

"If anything, she needs to tighten up instead." Weiss added, making Ruby giggle and Yang look at her teammates with a gaze of betrayal.

"Nah," Gin shook her head, "Yang's fine the way she is."

That blunt, but sincere statement made everyone look at Gin in surprise. "I mean, the world's already tense." Gin pointed out. "No matter how much we try to deny it, we're on the border between hope and despair."

"That's why I like working for Lady Circe so much." Gin admitted. "She works hard to give everyone hope. It's hard for politicians to be both good leaders and good people. But she manages it, and in doing so, she makes people happy."

Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "Point her to a cause she can believe in, and she'll throw her support in it, 100%." She noted.

Gin gave Yang a smile. "The point is," he said, "you're fine the way you are. I couldn't imagine you as some angsty girl who yells at people anyway. So, stick with the jokester-persona."

"Th-thanks." Yang could not help but smile at Gin's sincerity.

"Maybe just work on the temper a little. I really don't mean anything by it." Gin added in a teasing tone.

Gin quickly grabbed a book out of the air that was tossed at him by Yang. "I rest my case." Gin joked.

Pyrrha gazed at the door to and from her team's room. "Hey, Gin," she said, addressing the elephant in the room, "will Aunt Circe be much longer?"

Gin shrugged. "Hard to say," he admitted, "I know Lady Circe wanted to meet with Professor Ozpin and Professor Kobalt. But, this visit was so out of the blue, it's gonna be hard for them to quickly make time in their schedules for her, big-time politician or not."

Blake's cat ears twitched at this. "Wait, Professor Ozpin _and_ Professor Kobalt?" She looked at Gin suspiciously.

Everyone's eyes widened as they all turned to Gin, who went pale when he realized he might have said too much. "Ah shit." He muttered.

"Gin," Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, "why does Aunt Circe want to meet with Professor Kobalt?"

Gin frantically raised his hands in surrender, seeing the suspicion in everyone's eyes. "Whoa, okay, let's all just calm down here." He said. "No need to shoot the messenger. Lady Circe's got nothing malicious planned. She just wanted to make sure that Beacon still has the students' best interests at heart. And from there, she wanted to offer whatever help she could to the headmaster."

 _Chrysos might actually kill me for this._ He lamented. _Me and my big fat mouth._

Ruby frowned, remembering those horrible patrons at Pleasure Island Pizza that called Professor Kobalt a 'freak'. "So as soon as the Vytal Festival goes great after everything that led up to it, there's no reason to question Beacon." She noted. "But as soon as someone nobody seems to like gets hired, it's time to freak out?"

Gin chuckled humorlessly. "Hardly seems fair, doesn't it?" He tried to lighten the tension.

He saw Ruby frowning at him with a look of disapproval, like a child who just discovered their parents or teachers were not perfect. He frowned back. "Hey, come on, Ruby." He pleaded. "Don't give me that look. You're such a sweet girl. Giving me a look like that makes me feel like I'm the bad guy here."

Ruby realized she probably was being a bit unfair and managed to regain her composure. "Sorry," she said softly, "it just...I just experienced people treating the professor horribly. And it still kinda makes me mad, honestly."

"Ruby, you have to pick your battles." Weiss told Ruby sternly. "There's no need for you to stand up for the professor as much as you do. Certainly not when it involves complete strangers. If word got out that students are arguing with civilians, or worse, it could cause a scandal."

"I know that," Ruby admitted, "but...I just react before I have a chance to really think. I like to think I'd react the same if it were any of you. I don't know why hearing that stuff about the professor sets me off so much, it's just…"

"Well it's because you're kind," Pyrrha interrupted with a smile, "you're just the kind of person who can't stand seeing people mistreated."

"But Weiss is right though," Pyrrha continued, "there's no need to do that on the professor's behalf. And I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing."

"He did." Ruby admitted. "But it's still so unfair. How could anyone think treating someone so poorly-let alone call them a freak-is okay?"

Everyone's eyes widened. "A freak?" Gin frowned. "You're right-about everything, really-but especially about that. Calling someone a freak is just not cool at all."

Gin sighed. "Poor bastard," he mused, "considering his age, he's probably had to live with labels like that his entire life."

Gin shook his head. "In an ideal world, a person's sins die with them. But our world is the furthest thing from ideal." He pointed out. "Chrysos and Lady Circe taught me that."

"The sad truth is, we inherit the sins of those who came before us." Gin sadly admitted. "It's the greatest injustice this world has ever known, but it's one we can't escape from."

"I'm going to have to side with Ruby on this," Jaune spoke up, "that's not fair at all. I mean, look at the Schnee Dust Company, they've been getting in trouble for some questionable business practices, but Weiss is way too nice to ever do the same. She doesn't deserve to suffer from her family's mistakes."

Weiss could not help but smile at Jaune's statement. She may not like him the way he did her, but she did appreciate his heart. "Thank you, Jaune." She said softly.

Gin chuckled. "With attitudes like that, maybe there's a chance things can get better." He noted, before adding seriously. "Unfortunately though, there's always going to be that nagging feeling in the back of someone's mind: 'how long before he does what the rest of his family did?' 'How long before she starts doing the same her father did when he ran the company?' You can lessen the impact, but you can't escape labels."

"That just pisses me off." Ruby admitted, making everyone look at her in surprise. None of them had ever heard her speak crassly before, and that was not even bad. A testament to how pure and innocent she usually was.

"As it should. That's a heart of gold you've got there, Ruby, be proud of that." Gin complimented before continuing. "I myself fall into Lady Circe's line of thinking: Professor Kobalt deserves to be judged as his own man, and not for the fact his family went all mad scientist and wrecked their reps."

"Mad scientist?" Ruby looked at Gin in confusion.

Gin raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

Ruby shook her head. Gin chuckled. "Maybe ignorance is bliss." He mused. "Well, it's not my place to give you the full story. If any of you don't know, you're just going to have to hope one day your professor is comfortable enough to share those kinds of details about his life. I'm sure he knows the full story, considering it's his family history. Hell, I'm sure he wants to forget the whole thing, pretend it all never happened so that he can move on with his life. But, unfortunately, the rest of Remnant has no intention of letting him."

"Who here does know, exactly?" Gin asked curiously.

Pyrrha, Blake and Weiss raised their hands. Gin's eyes widened. "Less than I expected." He muttered.

"Nora and I had something of a nomadic life." Ren explained. "It's not like we had a chance to stay up to date on that kind of stuff."

"I don't pay attention in history." Yang said proudly.

"Ditto." Ruby added.

Jaune paused for a moment before nodding. "I'm getting better, but I don't know this one."

Gin sighed. "Like I said, I can't tell you everything. Not my place to do it. But, I can give you an idea at least. Chrysos and Lady Circe gave me something of a rundown when we were on our way to Vale."

Gin gave them all a serious look. "Have you all ever heard of the fairy tale about the apothecary who tried to conquer death?"

"I have!" Ruby excitedly responded. "I read it with Yang once."

"Yeah, and it scared you so much that you had to sleep in my room for a month." Yang added, making Ruby glare at her.

Gin nodded. "It's a sad story," he noted, "all that fool wanted was to conquer that horrifying abyss for the sake of mankind, so that no one would have to suffer the pain of loss ever again."

He sighed. "People love to brag about advancements in science. They talk about how it's the key to improving all facets of life, like it's going to save the world. But where do you draw the line exactly? At what point do you realize that there are some places that we were never meant to go?"

Gin found himself gazing out the window. "Scientists spend all their time figuring out if they _can_ do something, they never stop to consider if they _should_." He noted. "Take the fellow in that fairy tale for example: He found a way to conquer death, sure. However, he failed to realize that life is meant to end when it ends. In his desperation to conquer death…he created a monster. And that monster took everything from him, including his life. No happy ending in this fairy tale, just a sad, cruel lesson that should serve as a cautionary tale."

Ren's eyes slowly widened in realization. "Weiss mentioned on his first day of teaching class that the Kobalts were powerful Huntsmen and brilliant scientists back in the day." He noted. "Are you telling me that their reputation was destroyed because…"

Ren trailed off, unable to say it. Gin smiled sadly and shook his head. "Maybe not that specifically. Honestly I don't know all the details myself." He admitted. "After the Kobalts' reputation was destroyed, all records of their actions were sealed off. The world was so desperate to pretend their most brilliant minds hadn't gone off the deep end, they made it seem like it never happened in the first place. Well, that's also not true, because their sudden ostracization and the rumors of just how bad the things they did actually were, all of the things they did, indeed happened in the eyes of the public."

"And the world now curses the Kobalt name to this day." Yang realized.

Gin nodded. "Science is great and all, but we're still human in the end. No amount of scientific advancements are worth sacrificing our humanity. There needs to be a balance between our desire for progress, and our own morals. That was what that tale was trying to teach us. Unfortunately, people are arrogant or desperate enough to believe they can succeed where others had failed."

Gin looked at Ruby, who seemed to be contemplating his words. Before he could say anything to her, everyone heard a sudden knock on the door. "Anyone home, Auntie's making a house call." Came Circe's eager voice.

"Shit!" Gin hissed, seeing everyone's downtrodden faces. "Everyone look like you're having a good time, right now! If Lady Circe finds out I opened my big mouth I'm going to be in serious trouble."

Gin watched as everyone forced a smile on their faces. He quickly ran over to the door and opened it. "Lady Circe, wassup?" He inquired, sweating nervously.

"Gin, you look exhausted, what's wrong?" Circe responded with her own query.

Gin laughed. "Oh, I was just showing off how many push-ups and sit-ups I could do." He lied. "Almost broke my own record. Guess I was more tired from that battle royale than I thought."

Circe looked behind Gin and saw the smiling faces of Pyrrha and her friends. "Oh good, everyone's here. I know about Team JNPR, so I guess this makes the rest of you Pyrrha's dearest friends." She realized.

Ruby, still bothered by everything Gin said, smiled brightly, wanting to make a good impression on Pyrrha's aunt. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Ithaca. I'm Ruby, leader of Team RWBY."

Circe had stars in her eyes. "Oh. My. God!" She squealed. "You're Ruby?"

Ruby was suddenly pulled into an embrace by the doting aunt. "Oh, you're even more adorable in person!" She noted. "I just want to spoil you! Visit Mistral some time. I'll make you Baklava!"

"Can't breathe!" Ruby shrieked. "Can't breathe!"

And just like that, the tension was out of the room. Gin smiled with relief when he noticed that everyone's smiles were no more genuine. Circe Ithaca's positive enthusiasm strikes again. "Let's see," Circe gazed at the rest of Team RWBY, "based on how Pyrrha described the rest of you in her letters, you must be Weiss, Blake and Yang, right?"

"Nice to meetcha, Ms. Ithaca." Yang waved politely with Weiss and Blake.

"And as for the rest of Team JNPR, you all must be Jaune, Nora and Ren. My word, you're all exactly like how Pyrrha describes you."

"Auntie…" Pyrrha groaned in embarrassment, making Gin chuckle.

"Make yourself comfortable, Ms. Ithaca." Jaune offered Circe one of the beds. "Sorry that it's so crowded in here. These rooms are meant for four people."

"Oh it's no trouble at all." Circe took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Honestly, you spend so much time in 5-star resorts, you reach a point where you want something a bit more simple, like this."

"So," Circe smiled, "might as well get right down to it. Are you children enjoying your education?"

"It has its ups and downs, but I think I speak for everyone when I say we are all getting much out of it." Weiss noted, making everyone nod in agreement.

"I'm glad to hear it," Circe nodded, "I just got out of a meeting with Professor Ozpin. Knowing that you are all making your time here at Beacon worthwhile has made my decision seem like a good one."

"What decision?" Blake raised an eyebrow at Circe.

Circe giggled. "Secret, dear. You'll know soon enough in my next press conference."

"But enough about education, I want to talk about family." Circe gestured to Pyrrha. "Thank you all so much for looking after my niece these past few months."

"Hey, no problem," Jaune smiled, "Pyrrha's our friend. She'd do the same for any of us without a second thought."

"Not that she needs any of us to look after her." Weiss noted. "Pyrrha's one of the top students, and as Sanctum's undefeated champion, she's practically untouchable."

Circe noticed Pyrrha's face fall slightly. Nodding in understanding, she addressed her niece. "Pyrrha," she said, "could you please take Chrysos into the cafeteria and grab him and me something to eat? We've been so busy with meetings today neither of us have had much to eat yet."

Pyrrha's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, I didn't even think about that. I'm sorry."

Circe smiled. "No, no, it's my fault, Professor Ozpin and I talked for way too long." She assured her.

"Ms. Pyrrha," Chrysos bowed before escorting her out of the room.

Circe smiled when she was out of earshot. "I hate taking advantage of how sweet she is, but she doesn't need to be here for this part." She noted.

Circe gave everyone a sad expression before sighing. "You know, I had hoped this would be obvious by now, but my Pyrrha has a lot of trouble making friends."

"She does?" Ruby looked at Circe in confusion. "But she's so nice, why would she have trouble making friends?"

Circe laughed. "I like you, Ruby." She admitted. "You have such a simple view of the world. It's refreshing."

"But the thing is, Pyrrha has had trouble making friends her whole life for a reason similar to why it's hard for politicians to have real friends." Circe explained. "Everyone was either too afraid to approach her because she's this undefeated champion who's above everyone else, or just trying to get on her good side so that they could say they were friends with a celebrity."

Weiss' eyes widened, realizing immediately that she might have reminded Pyrrha of that. Circe sighed. "It's lonely at the top." She noted. "Pyrrha learned that at a young age. I tried to discourage her from pushing herself as hard as she did to become champion because I knew what that did to kids her age, but she insisted."

"And eventually, in spite of her desperation to have friends, she just...resigned herself to living alone at the top. God, she really wanted real friends, but I think by the time she was done at Sanctum, she had given up."

"Pyrrha always seems so happy though." Nora sadly pointed out.

"The ones who smile the most are usually hiding the most pain." Circe sagely pointed out. "And Pyrrha's no exception."

Circe then smiled. "And then, when started at Beacon, I got the strangest letter from her. It was short but sweet."

"'Auntie, a boy didn't know who I was. And now he's my partner. I think he's going to be a great friend. I'm really excited to be here, Auntie. Beacon was definitely the right choice.'" Circe remembered that letter like it was yesterday.

"I...I almost started crying." Circe admitted. "I had tried so hard to help Pyrrha find real friends, but when your aunt is a celebrity too, most people want to be your friend to get in your aunt's good graces."

"That was me." Jaune realized. "Pyrrha was talking about me."

Circe smiled at the young man. "Jaune, you have no idea how happy meeting you made her. With every letter she sent me, I could tell she was slowly returning to her old self, not the celebrity-self that was inevitably made when everyone was just praising her left and right. I don't know why you didn't know her, but that was the greatest thing she could have heard."

"I...had no idea." Jaune admitted. "I mean, Pyrrha told me how lonely she was. But I never…"

"She didn't want you to worry too much about her, don't beat yourself up about it." Circe assured him.

"Every single letter that came after that one could only talk about how amazing her friends were, and how not a single one of them seemed to care that she was some sort of celebrity." Circe continued, making everyone gape in amazement at the realization that Pyrrha-strong, kind and wonderful Pyrrha-thought the world of them. "At that moment...I realized that even though she broke everyone's heart when she refused to go to Haven, Beacon was the right choice for her."

 _And I was a fool to consider taking that from her._ Circe realized.

"I know Pyrrha's a big celebrity," Circe continued, "but she's got her flaws like everyone else. She fusses way too much. She gets flustered way too easy. And she's still as socially awkward as they come, but I can tell by her letters she's getting better."

"My point is, she can be a handful, like anyone else your age." Circe pointed out before adding. "But that's why she needs people who care about her for who she is, and not what she is. You know, what you're doing right now."

"I know it's probably selfish of me to request this, but as her last living family, her happiness means the world to me." Circe told them. "Please, stay by my niece's side. You all mean so much to her. After all, you kids helped her get her real smile back."

Everyone fell silent, shocked at the woman they just met opening up to them. Ruby then spoke up. "Well come on, have a little more faith in us." She said with a smile. "If you know us from Pyrrha's letters, then you should know we'd never desert someone as awesome as she is."

"Yeah, Pyrrha's an irreplaceable teammate and friend." Jaune added with all the sincerity he could muster. "No way we'd abandon her."

"The Pancake Quartet leaves no one behind!" Nora cheered.

Circe laughed, restraining herself from tearing up a little. "I had to make sure." She said simply.

Pyrrha then returned with wrapped up sandwiches, flanked by Chrysos. "I'm sorry, Auntie, this was all they had." She held out the sandwiches.

Before Pyrrha could hand the sandwiches to her aunt, she was suddenly tackled by Nora in a flying hug. "Pyrrha!" Nora wailed.

"Wha?! Nora?!" Pyrrha was shocked.

Circe chuckled at Nora's affection to her niece, she noticed that everyone was now looking at her, all smiles. She nodded in satisfaction, seeing how genuine they all were. _You really have found some wonderful friends, Pyrrha._ She concluded.

The rest of the day was all smiles, an amazing accomplishment considering that everyone's moods had been shot to hell by Gin's conversation on the Kobalt family. And now, with classes done for the day, aunt and niece had finally found some alone time at a fancy restaurant in the city.

"It's been quite awhile since the two of us have been able to sit down for a nice meal." Circe mused. "I'm just glad I was able to get a table reserved on such short notice."

"You are one of the most beloved people in Mistral." Pyrrha noted. "No surprise Vale's now trying to get on your good side."

"Honestly though, Aunt Circe, I still prefer your cooking over fancy places like these."

Circe smiled. "You give me too much credit. They were your mother's recipes. She was twice the cook I could ever hope to be."

Circe shook her head as memories of her sister came rushing back. "Oh, how I wish she could see you now, Pyrrha." She admitted. "She'd be so proud of you."

Pyrrha looked off to the side. "Even after the Vytal Festival?" She asked softly.

Circe frowned. "Where did this come from?" She asked curiously.

"Well, you had to be getting questions." Pyrrha noted. "'Why did your sweet niece dismember that poor girl?' 'What the hell are Mistral academies teaching kids?' You know, that kind of stuff."

Circe shook her head. "Pyrrha, everyone I've known in my career has asked no such question. They know you. They know you'd never do such things on purpose." She promised. "Now that things have calmed down, people are slowly beginning to realize just how badly we were all set up by that horrible woman. I feel the worst for poor Professor Lionheart, he's getting so many questions as to how those people had managed to forge Haven records."

Circe smiled. "The important thing is that you're all okay, and that in spite of what happened, you're all able to move forward with the resolve to one day take the fight to horrible people like that Cinder Fall."

 _That's right,_ Pyrrha thought sadly, _because I'm going to be the Fall Maiden. Not Pyrrha anymore, just the Fall Maiden. I'll one day lead the charge and take the fight to the enemy…_

"Pyrrha, sweetie, what's wrong?" Circe noticed how sad her niece looked.

"Auntie," Pyrrha said softly, "are you really okay with me continuing to do this?"

Circe raised an eyebrow. "Where did this come from? I told you, you shouldn't feel bad about that poor girl."

"It's not just that." Pyrrha admitted, knowing she had to get this off her chest somehow, but still had to keep her new secret. "What happened at the Vytal Festival...I feel like something changed in me. In the sense that I now have a greater understanding of what this life entails."

"When I started training...I wanted people to recognize me, I craved that attention. I thought that if I was the best, people would notice me and be my friend." Pyrrha shook her head. "I already know that's selfish, and it was wrong of me to think that way."

"But even after I realized that, I still felt so empty, because I felt like I didn't really have a reason to become a Huntress." Pyrrha admitted.

"I see." Circe simply replied. "And are you still struggling to find that answer?"

Pyrrha nodded. "I don't know what to do, Auntie." She said. "And when I see you, who's always so assured in everything she does, it just makes me feel like a failure."

Circe frowned. "First of all, never call yourself that. You are the furthest thing from a failure, and I know your friends would say the same if they heard that."

"Second," Circe continued, "there is no shame in stopping, as long as that's what's in your heart."

"I know I don't want to stop, Auntie." Pyrrha replied.

"Then search your heart, Pyrrha, and find what it is that wants to make you continue." Circe told her. "It's already within you, so finding it will be easier than you think."

Circe then gave her niece a gentle smile. "And never forget that no matter what your choice is, and no matter what your reasoning is, never doubt that I love you, and I always will."

At that moment, all of Pyrrha's emotions came rushing to the forefront. Her happiness at being alive after that hell that was the Vytal Festival, the stress of becoming the new Fall Maiden, and the fear of losing her individuality. It all came rushing back as she leapt from her seat and tearfully threw her arms around her aunt, embracing her tightly. "Auntie!" She wailed.

Circe smiled, calmly soothing her beloved niece. A confused but concern waiter came by and she smiled. "We're going to need a bit more time before we order." She said softly, the waiter nodding in understanding as he left.

The two stayed like that for awhile, before Pyrrha managed to calm down and return to their seat. Circe then spent the rest of her time with her niece, doing her best to steer the conversation elsewhere by talking about boys, particularly Jaune Arc.

Pyrrha went from emotional to embarrassed in an instant, and remained that way for the rest of the night.

By morning, Circe Ithaca would be on a flight back to Mistral, and Pyrrha Nikos, while still feeling plenty of emotional turmoil, also felt truly happy because of one simple fact:

She had family and friends that truly loved her...

 **A.N: Whew, this was an emotional rollercoaster, wasn't it? I hope everyone enjoyed it regardless. Next time, one final downtime chapter before the revelation of where the next arc's destination will be.**


	19. Chapter 19: Thus The Gears Turn

**Chapter 19: Thus The Gears Turn**

"In the past few weeks, we as a planet have realized that our world is not as safe as we would like to believe." Circe Ithaca began her press conference. "Our enemies are not just the monsters of darkness that haunt our dreams. No, the Vytal Festival has made it clear to us that there are foes in the shadows whom are clever enough to use the Grimm to their own advantage to stir up more chaos and bloodshed."

"People of Remnant, never once have I wanted to believe that people, whether they be human or faunus, were capable of such things. I have wanted to believe, with all my heart, that in a world like ours, we are capable of setting aside our darker desires for the sake of cooperation and survival. And yet, here we are, still trying to move forward from one of the most devastating mass attacks in our world's history: an attack caused not just by the Grimm, not just by humans, and not just by faunus, but by evil, plain and simple."

"However," Circe continued, "on that day, I did not just see evil emerge from the dark. I saw hope emerge as well. I saw students who had no business being on the battlefield, choose to stay and fight anyway for one reason: because it was the right thing to do."

"Like you, I saw the videos of what happened that night. And beyond the terror I felt for all those innocent people caught up in such violence, I tell you right now, I felt immense pride for the students of the Huntsmen Academies. Students who had been reviled by the perpetrators as incapable of carrying themselves with honor who then answered the call and helped save the people of Vale."

"But beneath all of that pride, a lingering question began surfacing: 'how can I help?'" Circe revealed. "Yes, how can I help these students, whom can only do so much with the weapons at their disposal."

"People of Remnant, a few days ago, I had something of a revelation, one which I shared with Beacon's headmaster, Professor Ozpin. There is a way that I can help, and there's a way that you can help as well. Today, I would like to announce the creation of the Aid For Training Program. I intend to devote myself and this program to the creation of and sponsoring fundraisers to provide more aid and funding to the Huntsmen Academies, to make sure our future protectors have access to even greater training than they had before."

"I come here today, to ask that the Headmasters of the academies, and the people of Remnant, to join me in providing aid to these young, rising heroes." Circe called. "We cannot fight, but that does not make us useless. That does not mean we cannot help. Let us devote ourselves to the battle in other ways. And this time, let's take the fight to those who hide in the darkness, and bring them to justice!"

A round of applause broke out in front of Circe. Ruby Rose just smiled as she watched the press conference on her scroll, flanked by all of her friends. She looked over her shoulder at Pyrrha Nikos. "I gotta say, Pyrrha, your aunt really knows how to give a good speech. I mean, I'm definitely pumped up." She noted.

Pyrrha smiled. "She's definitely in top form this morning." She acknowledged.

The door to class opened up and in walked Hansel Kobalt, all business as usual. "Alright, enough DustTube surfing." Hansel told them. "We've got work to do."

"Hey, Professor Kobalt, did you hear the good news?" Ruby excitedly asked.

Hansel raised an eyebrow. "Did all the bad guys in the world drop dead from some sort of mass heart attack?" He asked curiously.

"That was morbid, and no." Yang Xiao Long responded. "Ms. Ithaca's starting a program to raise more funds for the Huntsmen Academies. She wants to try and help our schools out in any way she can."

This caught Hansel's interest. He then shrugged. "Well, more funding would let us conduct more field exercises and get us more state of the art equipment for training." He admitted. "But, I hope she's got someone advising her on how to properly use that funding. Issues related to the academies can't be solved by just throwing more money at them."

"Money can be an effective weapon." Lie Ren sagely pointed out. "But only if you know how to properly use it, just like any other weapon."

Hansel nodded in agreement. "Okay," he said, "as always, we'll kick off today with a sparring session."

"Today, I want to see…" Hansel took a look around his students and immediately made his choice. "...Rose and Daichi, both of you front and center."

Yatsuhashi frowned. "If I may, sir, are you sure facing off against a first year is safe?"

"Rose seems fond of hitting outside her weight class, Daichi. Might as well give her what she wants if she thinks it'll help her improve." Hansel looked at Ruby, who instinctively pouted at that small jab at her recklessness.

Yatsuhashi gave Ruby a smile. "You're talented, Ruby." He complimented. "I'm sure you'll give me a good fight."

Ruby smiled right back as the two made their way to the arena. "I'm going to do more than give you a good fight, Yatsuhashi." Ruby promised. "I intend to win."

Yatsuhashi chuckled as the two reached the arena, standing across from each other. Hansel then spoke up. "Usual rules, go until one of you can't continue any longer. Daichi, I expect you to not hold back, same goes for you Rose."

"Begin!" Hansel yelled as Ruby and Yatsuhashi leapt towards each other.

While the next generation Circe spoke so fondly of continued to progress toward becoming what they were meant to be, in another part of Remnant, a group with more sinister intentions were slowly making their move as well.

Salem smirked as a very imposing figure entered her group's meeting room. His face was covered with what appeared to be a regular mask with the shape of a diamond carved into a forehead, but also the design of a king's crown adorning the top of it. He also wore heavy red royal robes.

"So a different leader of Gray Jackal has graced me with his presence this time?" She mused. "I was under the impression that the Queen of Hearts was suited for these matters?"

"The Queen of Hearts is busy tendering her opposition to Circe Ithaca's recent proposal to raise more funding for the academies." The behemoth of a man responded.

Salem sounded surprised. "Oh?" She said. "It appears I need to ask Arthur to better our spy network. It seems we've fallen behind in our information gathering."

"I'm sure that scientist had every intention of contacting you. It was quite a recent announcement. As an organization that has agents everywhere that move in the light, I'm afraid it's simply inevitable that an organization that hides in the dark could not hope to keep up with us."

Salem frowned now. "I'd appreciate if you did not look down on my subordinates. They go through much for my sake."

"My apologies, I simply speak my truth." The man bowed, looking around. "Where are they? This place seems emptier than what the Queen told me before."

"Tyrian is busy searching for the Spring Maiden. Cinder is training what Maiden powers she has. Arthur is busy meeting with our informants. And Hazel is sparring with the young Adam Taurus, who's getting used to his new arm."

"Ah, yes, I'd heard that he had lost an arm to the Blue Demon." The behemoth chuckled. "It appears we both have had to suffer from that boy's interference."

Salem sighed. "So it would seem," she mused, "but enough lamenting, let's get down to business."

The behemoth took a seat at the other end of the table. "First, allow me to introduce myself. I am called the King of Diamonds, leader of Gray Jackal's combat division. Ace of Spades and Jack of Clubs are incredibly busy with their own duties, and with Queen of Hearts becoming even busier in her public life than usual, the duty to represent our organization fell to me."

"And so here you are." Salem politely noted with a smirk. "First a queen, now a king."

"Now then," Salem continued, "I _did_ hear of the death of Don Anthonio Corleone. It appears you've unfortunately experienced a setback."

The King of Diamonds quickly brushed the matter off. "While we did unfortunately lose some weapons, it is of no concern. We had always planned on disposing of the Don and his organization when our deal was concluded anyway."

Salem seemed surprised at this. "Really?"

The King of Diamonds chuckled. "In fact, we disposed of Corleone ourselves thanks to some technology we stole a while back. The fool thought himself untouchable as long as he supplied us weapons. However, he was living on borrowed time as soon as we began our arrangement. He clearly underestimated how effective our assassination unit was...and we did not even need to reveal ourselves."

"I see," Salem mused, "I suppose an organization that claims to 'work hidden in the light' would have to cover their tracks."

The King of Diamonds just chuckled. "Of course, we are more than willing to share our weapons, Salem. With your failure in Vale, perhaps you could use a little assistance?"

Salem narrowed her eyes. The King of Diamonds was briefly taken aback by a powerful bloodlust sent his way before frowning behind his mask. "I meant no disrespect, Salem." He said calmly. "We are comrades now, allies. I simply believe you would benefit from our aid."

Salem calmed herself. "Do not presume to tell me what it is I need, regardless of where you stand with me, King of Diamonds." Salem told him.

King of Diamonds raised a hand in defense. "My apologies, I suppose as royalty myself, I can understand your frustration at being given any suggestions. I should remind you though, effective rulers listen to the advice of their advisors."

Salem still glared at the King of Diamonds. King of Diamonds sighed. "Anyway," he said, "my offer is still open. We're comrades after all, and considering our agents that have made their way into everyday society, we're quite useful to you."

"I have agents of my own that have integrated into society." Salem insisted.

"Agents who only exist to undermine Ozpin." The King of Diamonds corrected. "While I do agree that Ozpin is the greatest threat to our plans, our true enemy is society as a whole."

Salem was now interested. "Society as a whole?"

"I'm sure you remember the Queen of Hearts' interest in tearing down society as a whole and rebuilding, no?" The King of Diamonds inquired curiously. "We may be considered terrorists, Salem, but we do more than just destroy. We rebuild as well."

"Please," the King of Diamonds continued, "take some time to consider my offer. Let us help you in your own goals. After all, we now officially have a mutual hindrance in the form of that brat. We remove both him and Ozpin, and nothing will be able to stop us."

"Not just them, there's a girl with Silver Eyes." Salem explained.

"Ah, that old legend." The King of Diamonds was audibly interested.

"We've dealt with their kind before." Salem noted. "As long as just one of them still exists and can use their powers, they're a threat."

"Indeed, I'll have my agents keep an eye out for this one as well." The King of Diamonds promised. "After all, assassination is one of our specialties."

"I must advise you to wait on that, actually." Salem told him. "Ozpin is focusing heavily on her development, that means she's probably being protected as much as the girl he chose to be the new Fall Maiden. Acting that rashly will draw Ozpin's attention. He cannot know that we have teamed up."

"And why is that?"

"Because one of the issues with acting in the light is that it is easy to be uncovered." Salem smirked. "And if you're uncovered, we will be uncovered."

The King of Diamonds sighed. "Then I suppose we will have to work towards a balance now that light and shadow have become one in this union." He mused. "Very well, Salem, we won't go after this girl just yet. We will simply focus on undermining the kingdoms as usual."

"From the light, yes?" Salem chuckled.

"Indeed." The King of Diamonds rose from his seat.

"Leaving so soon?" Salem was surprised. "But I feel like you just got here."

"I have other business to attend to I'm afraid." The King of Diamonds admitted. "Rallying for a revolution can be rather time consuming. But, it's a necessity for someone like me."

"Someone like you?" Salem smiled. "I wonder just who it is behind that mask."

"Secrecy is important to us." The King of Diamonds admitted. "The only people who know of my true identity are my fellow leaders and the higher ups in my own division. I'm afraid for the time being that's how it must stay."

"Good day, Salem."

The King of Diamonds exited the meeting room, meeting up with three individuals who's masks read "4", "7", and "10." The quartet silently made their way back to an airship that was parked on a cliff just outside of her dark castle. As they entered the craft, the King opened his scroll and quickly dialed a number.

"It's me," he said, "the meeting is over. You were right, she's far more unstable than she appears. Just a spoiled child who never grew up."

The King of Diamonds looked out the window at the dark castle before chuckling. "Using her for our ends is going to be a far easier matter than I thought. My apologies, Queen, it seems I underestimated your ability to read people."

"Anyway," King continued, "tell Ace to keep her blade sharpened and her mind and body strong. Eventually Salem's going to have to be removed from play."

"No, I'm not talking of the future too soon," King said after a moment of listening to the other end, "that woman has no goal. I can tell just from my interactions with her. Why she's able to command such loyalty is beyond me, when all she wants to do is simply destroy. What a boring archenemy Ozpin has been cursed with."

"So," King changed the subject, "has Jack managed to make any breakthroughs in improving the serum? The more soldiers we can create the better."

King listened to the other end before he heaved a sigh. "Still no progress? Then perhaps now might be the time to pull the plug on Jack's research? Or simply turn his attention to something he can actually succeed in?"

"No, I know that Jack is hellbent on perfecting the serum. But he has consistently failed to do so. That man has fields of expertise in other forms of science. If he cannot perfect the serum at this rate, just make him do something else while that brain of his is still useful to us." King ordered.

"Oh, and if you're not too busy, check in with our agents in the other kingdoms." King told Queen. "With Corleone gone, the one thing that does worry me is that brat, Hansel, has his hands on the device we used to execute him. The fool thought it was a tracking device for us to come to his aid when he needs us, but in reality, we were making sure the loose end that was Corleone could be tied up with ease."

"If Hansel finds out where that device came from, we need to be prepared." The King of Diamonds frowned behind his mask. That brat really had been a thorn in their side for too long.

The King of Diamonds then frowned, hearing the Queen's response. "Hmm? Don't kill him just yet, you say? I'm aware _that one_ wants to deal with Hansel personally, but if he keeps ruining our operations…"

"Oh?" The King of Diamonds' eyes widened in realization. "You speak of the news that the boy is a teacher now? Yes, Salem did mention something about a Silver Eyed Huntress-in-training. So, that brat is training the girl?"

"I see," the King of Diamonds smirked, "let Hansel continue to train the brat and we can use her against Salem. Ace won't even have to get involved."

"But my point stands, if he gets in our way again, and he will, we will have to retaliate."

As the airship flew away from Salem's domain, it was briefly viewed by Adam Taurus and Hazel Rainart, who had finished their sparring match. "Is that Gray Jackal's airship?" Adam asked curiously.

Hazel nodded. "A truly beautiful piece of machinery." He acknowledged. "I suppose it's one of the benefits of being able to operate 'in the light,' as that Queen of Hearts so eloquently put the first time we all met."

Hazel gazed at Adam. "Tell me," he said, "as a member of the White Fang, how much do you know about Gray Jackal?"

Adam frowned slightly. "Why would you think I know anything about them?"

"Does the White Fang not follow the actions of other organizations that operate outside the law?" Hazel raised an eyebrow.

Adam shook his head. "There's nothing to follow." Adam replied. "Gray Jackal...they're more a boogeyman than an actual terrorist cell. The White Fang...and everyone else for that matter, they know the name, but nobody knows what their actual goal is. When you told me what the Queen of Hearts told you...her dream of a more fair and just world, I was admittedly surprised, but also infuriated."

"Infuriated?"

"The right to building a fair and just world...that right belongs to the faunus." Adam responded. "What right does a human have to want to create something more fair and just?"

Hazel shook his head. "Never forget that pain does not discriminate. The Queen of Hearts may have very well experienced something truly painful and unforgivable herself." He sagely pointed out.

Adam fell silent at that statement. Hazel was in no way interested in an argument, so he changed the subject. "How's your new arm?" He inquired. "Have you grown used to it."

Adam gazed at the pure black prosthetic that had replaced the old one he had lost. "Yeah," he responded, "it works like new. As much as I despise that damn doctor, he knows his stuff."

Hazel sighed. "Watts can be rather...abrasive."

Adam snarled. "Abrasive doesn't describe him." He replied. "Every chance he took, he criticized me for my recklessness, compared me to Cinder in how we both were overly spiteful individuals."

Hazel sighed. "Well, that's the pot calling the kettle black." He muttered.

Adam then smirked. "Still, I must admit he knows how to get the job done. Makes up for the fact that Lady Salem wanted to give me a Grimm prosthetic instead. My sword draws are even faster than before." He snarled again. "The next time I run into that bastard, Hansel, he'll die."

Hazel shook his head. "I'm not sure if Her Grace has told you this, but she's actually interested in recruiting Hansel Kobalt. None will be taking his head."

Adam stiffened at this. Just as quickly, he relaxed and nodded in understanding. "If that is what Her Grace wishes." He responded. "However, if I get another shot at him, I can't promise he'll be a pleasant sight for her to look at."

"It appears you are taking to your new role as another piece on Her Grace's chessboard." Hazel noted. "That is good."

Adam paused before nodding. "When Cinder had promised me a face-to-face meeting with her master, I have to admit, I had not expected any of this." He said. "But Her Grace has not only given me my strength back, she has also granted me a place at the table in this new world she intends to create, and all I must do is follow her will when asked."

Hazel nodded, satisfied with Adam's answer. "Then the faunus revolution no longer holds meaning to you?" He inquired.

"You misunderstand me, Hazel." Adam responded. "It is the revolution that motivates me to carry out Lady Salem's will."

"In order to create, one must first destroy." Adam pointed out. "Humanity destroyed the faunus to build their kingdoms. I will help remake this world by destroying humanity's power. If serving Lady Salem will make me the savior my people need, then so be it."

"Your focus is exactly where it needs to be, good." Hazel nodded once more. "Don't think I've forgotten you muttering that girl's name while delirious, Adam. The last thing any of us need is for you to forget your duties."

Adam fell silent, choosing his next words wisely. "My promise to Blake still stands, I intend to destroy everything she loves." He vowed. "However, Her Grace has...put things into perspective for me."

Hazel was surprised. He was not aware that Salem had sought out Adam for a one-on-one meeting. The fact that Salem was that interested in his development was news to him. "Blake will not cloud my judgement, not when I have a great duty to undertake. The only reason I plan to make her suffer was because she betrayed me, betrayed her people, not because I am entitled to her." Adam explained. "Whatever happens to Blake from here on out...is because she is to be rewarded as a traitor deserves."

Hazel nodded in understanding, realizing what had happened. _I continue to underestimate you, My Lady._ He noted, gazing at the dark castle above him. _You caught onto Adam's darker obsessions and nipped them in the bud. Perhaps this defeat has made us stronger as a group. Had Adam succeeded in his own machinations, he might've spiraled off the path you had laid out for him. Let his darker desires rule him, to the point where he'd become a liability._

 _Now, he is truly the revolutionary force he is meant to be, all because you have taken the time to nurture that aspect of his personality. And you had the chance to do so because of his failure. He was ripe for molding._

 _And yet...I still can't for the life of me understand your desire to recruit Hansel Kobalt. Just what are you planning for that boy?_

Back at Beacon Academy, Yatsuhashi Daichi fell onto his back, Crescent Rose aimed at his neck. Ruby panted, unable to believe that her plan worked and she had her upperclassman pinned. "Y-yield!" Ruby demanded before adding meekly. "Please?"

Yatsuhashi smiled, genuinely happy for Ruby's growth. He liked her, after all. She was kind to Velvet, always looked out for her whenever the rest of Team CFVY could not. "I yield." He said respectfully.

"Hell yeah!" Yang let out a cheer. "That's my little sis!"

Ruby looked over at Hansel expectantly. She saw the genuine surprise on his face. "How was that, Professor?" She asked. "We did well, right?"

Hansel raised an eyebrow. "We? Oh, you mean you and Daichi." He realized.

Hansel thought back to the match and remembered something particularly impressive. _Rose kept him off balance throughout that entire fight._ He noted. _She took Daichi's strength and used it against him. Not only that, but she managed to outpace him with her Semblance._

Hansel narrowed his eyes. _As far as size goes, Corleone weighed more than Daichi._ He remembered. _Did Rose figure out the best way to beat someone of massive size from fighting Corleone?_

 _It wouldn't be too far fetched._ Hansel admitted. _She managed to create effective hand-to-hand techniques incorporated with her Semblance from watching me do it_ _ **once**_ _. Seeing this though, I can't really deny it any longer, she really is a kinetic learner, like me._

"Umm...Professor?" Ruby looked at Hansel, noting his furrowed brow and contemplative look.

Hansel's eyes widened, realizing he had been spacing out. "You did well, Rose." He spoke up quickly. "While I had expected you to put up a fight, I honestly had not expected you to win."

Hansel folded his arms. "And here was me thinking you don't pay attention in class. Your fighting style is evolving very quickly."

Ruby rubbed her head in embarrassment. "Well, after that kick flip worked out so well back at the Neverland Gorge, I wanted to see if I could try some other new things."

 _Definitely learns from experience._ Hansel nodded. _You and your team struggled with a big guy, so you decided to experiment with how to fight other big guys._

Hansel looked over at Daichi, who was getting to his feet. "I must seem so pathetic." Daichi muttered. "As strong as Ruby is, I have no right to lose as the upperclassman. I should be setting a better example to her."

Hansel shook his head. "You did your best." He promised. "You are trying to incorporate adding more balance to your fighting style to avoid being taken off guard. And now that Rose has won by making you lose your balance, you now know that this is a necessity."

Hansel folded his arms. "Of course, I'm not going to sugar-coat it. You lost. But the good news is, you understand why you lost. Me reiterating it will only make me sound like a broken record."

"And Rose, don't get cocky." Hansel turned to her. "You caught Daichi off guard, yes, but other than speed, he beats you in everything else. Today's match went your way. But honestly, if I made you two spar a hundred times before the year was up, I'd say you'd win between 30-40 matches with Daichi winning the others."

Rose looked down. Hansel sighed. "But listen," he continued, "oftentimes, you only get one fight with the enemy. Following that logic, you won the only time it mattered."

Hansel walked past Ruby, patting her on the shoulder. "You did well," he promised, "just remember you're still behind many of your classmates, prodigy or no prodigy. But the fact you managed to pull out a win the way you did was impressive. Professor Ozpin once told me that overcoming the odds is key to becoming a great Huntsmen. But keep up your training and you can tip the odds further in your favor."

"Never forget that if hard work can improve your chances of victory from 40% to 50%, or even 40% to 41%, then it's worth the effort." Hansel advised before turning his attention back to the class. "I hope the rest of you got something out of this spar as well."

As Ruby and Yatsuhashi made their way back to their seat, Hansel continued to speak. "Now then," he said, "while Rose and Daichi catch their breath. I want to take this opportunity to go over Semblance theory. I trust you've all had a chance to research the matter yourselves?"

Hansel saw the nods among his class before nodding himself. "Good, I would like to discuss your findings. Afterwards, let's spend the rest of class trying to apply what you've found in your own Semblances."

"Uh, sir, what if we haven't got our Semblances yet?" Jaune raised his hand and asked.

"Then I hope your research was on unlocking Semblances, Arc." Hansel responded bluntly.

As Hansel prepared to open the floor to discussion, he felt his scroll vibrate in his pocket. He pulled the scroll out and saw a message from Dr. Oobleck.

 _Come to my office after your first class. We need to talk about the device you brought me._

Hansel's eyes widened. Oobleck had finally made progress. "What's up with the shocked look, Teach?" Yang teased. "Girlfriend troubles?"

Hansel glared at Yang. "Not even close Xiao Long." He said before sighing. "Sorry about that, important message on different matters. Now, let's begin our discussion."

Elsewhere, as Hansel continued his class, veteran Huntsmen Qrow Branwen was conducting his own duties in his favorite place in the world: a bar.

As the beloved uncle of Ruby and Yang downed the last of the current glass of booze in front of him, a pretty young waitress came by and placed another glass of alcohol in front of him. Qrow smiled up at the waitress. "Not that I don't appreciate it, and I certainly planned on ordering another drink, but I don't remember asking for this." He noted.

"From the red-eyed lady upstairs, sir." The waitress gestured upstairs.

If Qrow was surprised by that description, he did not show it. He simply took the glass and rose from his seat. "Upstairs, right? And you're sure she had red eyes?"

The waitress nodded, now confused. "And her hair, was it black?"

The waitress nodded again. Qrow was now frowning, annoyed by a very simple fact: apparently, he now had a family reunion to deal with.

Qrow walked upstairs and found himself face to face with the red-eyed, dark-haired woman sitting at a table with a mysterious smile on her face. A mask was seated in front of her on the table.

Qrow heaved a sigh as he walked over to the table. "What do you want, Raven?" He asked his twin sister.

Raven Branwen looked hurt. "What, can't a girl talk to family?"

Qrow scowled, clearly having no time for Raven's attitude. "She can, but you're not family. You made that perfectly clear when you ran from Tai and Yang." He bluntly told her.

Raven frowned at Qrow's bluntness. She then got down to why she was here. "I'm here _because_ of Yang." She promised. "I'm here as a mother concerned for her daughter's education."

Qrow snorted. "Oh, so now you decide to act like a proper mom." He mocked before adding, completely serious. "Raven, if you came here to tell me how full of crap Oz is, I'm in no mood for listening."

Raven glared at her brother. "Don't play games with me, Qrow, that's not what I'm here for." She told him.

Qrow glared back. "Oh? Then what are you here for, Ms. Mother of the Year?" He continued to mock.

"I heard who Beacon's new combat professor is." Raven revealed. "Would you like to explain to me why Hansel Kobalt is teaching at Beacon?"

"And just how in the world did you hear that?" Qrow asked suspiciously. "Last time I checked, bandits don't watch TV much."

Raven smirked. "Did you really think you're the only one with informants, dear brother?" She was now mocking him. "It was certainly a happy accident, but it seems in a twist of fate, my men discovered Hansel Kobalt's status at the Neverland Gorge."

Qrow narrowed his eyes, realizing what had happened. "You used my own spy network against me." He growled.

"It wasn't hard, underworld men are so easy to manipulate." Raven countered. "I knew you'd pass on that information to Ozpin, and then he would send someone after Corleone, which meant we could go in and take what we needed."

Qrow took a deep breath, calming himself down. "So," he said, "the news has indeed reached the wretched hive of scum and villainy that is the world of bandits?"

Raven glared at her brother. "Don't you dare speak of them that way." She demanded. "Our tribe raised us."

Qrow rolled his eyes. "Frankly, I don't care, Raven, they were a bunch of murderers who used us to murder more people to cover their sorry asses."

Raven scoffed. "Spare me your moral preening, Qrow. You didn't have a problem with it back then, and you don't seem to have an issue with Ozpin having a member of a family of murderers in his services."

Qrow glared at Raven for that statement. "You don't even know what really happened to the Kobalt Family, Raven. And you certainly don't know Hansel. Whatever sins that family's got, you leave the kid out of them. He's his own man."

Raven glared right back. "I know enough to know that family deserves the title of: 'The Cursed Family.' The family of scientists who drove themselves mad with their own research. The family that paved the way for more bloodshed with their actions."

Qrow sighed. "That all may be true, but at least they were trying to make a difference." He said before adding harshly. "You ran away from it all as soon as things got tough for you."

Raven frowned. "So their actions were fine because they were for the greater good? Now I know why Ozpin took to Hansel so quickly." She mocked.

Qrow shook his head. "That's not what I meant. The Kobalts went too far in their research, and they certainly had way too much faith in what humanity would do with what they built before...whatever it was that happened. But they became 'cursed' because of their own obsessions, not because of what they gave humanity. We chose to misuse their gifts."

Raven smiled at Qrow's behavior. "You surprise me, Qrow, I haven't seen you get this defensive in a long time."

Raven then continued, trying to get Qrow to her side. "But tell me, can you really say with a straight face that you trust that boy with your nieces?" She asked. "With Summer's daughter? My daughter?"

Raven sighed. "You're right, Qrow," she acknowledged, "I don't know Hansel Kobalt. But I do know that he was born twisted, just like every other member of that despicable family of his. You think what Ozpin did to us was the only reason I lost faith in him? In the cause? No, look at the world around us, Qrow. The Kobalts operated in the open for years before people finally decided they had gone too far. A world that takes that much exposure to darkness before it recognizes darkness for what it is, is a world I have no interest in fighting and dying for."

Qrow scoffed. "Don't get high and mighty with me now, Raven. Even if you're being honest in how you feel about Hansel's family, we both know that's not what drove you to leave. You left because you're as scared of Salem as I am. So quit acting so smug."

Raven glared at Qrow once more. "If you are scared, then why fight? You know it's hopeless." She pointed out

Qrow smirked. "Maybe if you had stuck around and acted like a proper mom to Yang, you'd know why I stuck around all this time."

Raven was taken aback by Qrow's statement. "And as for why I'm defensive of the kid? Well, he's been through enough. You'd understand if you actually knew him. And even if he's got his own view of the world I don't entirely agree with, he's a good kid. He's just...well, Hansel. Maybe if you actually got to know him, you'd know what I mean."

"And most importantly, unlike you, I have no intention of labeling someone based on their family. If the whole world thought like you did, Raven, Oz wouldn't have taken us in." Qrow pointed out.

"The whole world _does_ think like I do." Raven countered.

"And they're wrong for thinking that way, I'm just glad Oz isn't as close-minded as everyone else is." Qrow shot right back.

"So, yeah, I trust Hansel. I'm going to believe in the Hansel that Oz believes in. And if I know my nieces, they probably trust him too, especially Ruby." Qrow said resolutely.

Raven sighed before responding in a deadly serious tone. "Fine, Qrow, if you want to be as foolish as Ozpin, be that way. But know this, if I get the chance, I'm going to end that boy myself."

Qrow rose to his feet, almost drawing Harbinger but managing to restrain himself. He settled for a glare that actually made Raven flinch back in surprise. "You do that Raven, and I'll come after you. No amount of running and hiding will stop me." Qrow promised with a growl. "Although, I'll only be able to get what's left of you. Trust me, Glynda and Oz will get to you first if you do _anything_ to that kid, let alone kill him, and they _will_ make you pay. This is one fight you don't want to pick, Raven, so back off."

Raven regained her composure and heaved a sigh, rising from her seat. "Then we have nothing left to say to each other, Qrow."

Raven drew her katana and sliced outwards, creating a portal. She then stepped inside and vanished. Qrow sighed, downing the alcohol Raven had ordered for him in one swig. "No," he said sadly, "no we don't."

Qrow heard a crash behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see the waitress, looking at him in disbelief. She must have seen the portal too. Qrow sighed and waved his glass at her. "Can I get another one of these?" He requested politely.

Back at Beacon, as the bell rang, signalling the end of morning class, Hansel took one last opportunity to address his students. "Remember, take some time to read the essay called 'Finishing the Fight.' You'll find some good nuggets of wisdom in that essay, it was written by a retired Huntsman. I want to go over it tomorrow, so don't slack off on your reading."

With that, Hansel left his students alone, quickly making his way to the office of Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck. When he entered, he was quickly treated to two sights. First, his office was decorated by multiple historical artifacts, presumably ones that Oobleck himself kept from his journeys that he simply did not trust museums to properly look after. The second was Oobleck enjoying a thermos of coffee...no wonder that guy's energy was massive.

"Oobleck?" Hansel tried to get the man's attention. He was honestly convinced it would take awhile. He loved his coffee.

What he did not know was that Oobleck had been looking forward to this meeting. "Hansel!" He shouted suddenly, making the young man leap in surprise.

Oobleck rushed over and grabbed the wristband that had killed Corleone. "I should ask you to bring me items from your journeys more often." He mused. "This was a true puzzle!"

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "So then you figured out where it originated from?" He asked.

"Indeed, but it was a doozy." Oobleck admitted. "Considering the device had necrotoxin stored inside, I had originally believed it to be some sort of weapon."

"But who wears a weapon that's literally designed to kill the wearer?" Hansel pointed out.

"Indeed," Oobleck nodded, "knowing I had to rule out that it wasn't some sort of weapon, I spent several days trying to find out what kind of device it was."

"Whoa, whoa, what?" Hansel frowned. "Oobleck, I asked you to find out where it was from. I never told you to find out what it was."

"Hansel!" Oobleck was now in front of his fellow teacher. "I can assure you, discovering the device's nature was just as important."

"...Enlighten me." Hansel decided to humor Oobleck.

"Understanding the device's nature and what it is used for actually helps us pinpoint the device's origin." Oobleck explained. "While it is true you can discover a device's origin based on the design, we also live in a time where kingdoms share their tech with each other."

"So how does understanding the device's 'nature' help us?" Hansel asked curiously, now more interested in Oobleck's reasoning.

"Elementary, my dear Hansel!" Oobleck proclaimed.

 _I am not your Watson you over-caffeinated whacko._ Hansel growled inwardly.

"While it is true that we are in an era of sharing our technological advances with each other, we have not gotten in the business of sharing our moralities and beliefs with each other." Oobleck explained. "What one kingdom believes to be ethical or moral, may be the exact opposite in another kingdom."

"For example, Atlas is famous for having the most executions of death row criminals, while Mistral tries to avoid the death penalty." Oobleck added to better explain his point.

Hansel nodded. "And what this means is…"

"What this means," Oobleck got back on track, "is that technology like this won't be accepted in every kingdom. There is absolutely no way scientists in Mistral or Vale would ever construct a wristband that injects a necrotoxin into the wearer."

"And that leaves Vacuo and Atlas, right?" Hansel inquired.

"Vacuo is still arguably the most lawless of the four kingdoms." Oobleck corrected. "Their talent lies in survivalism. Creating a device like this goes completely against attitudes that are ingrained into their DNA."

"So...then Atlas is where this device originated from?" Hansel raised an eyebrow.

Oobleck sighed. "It's not that simple. I checked recent announcements of new inventions and nothing matched this device. Just because we've eliminated the other three kingdoms as a possibility, does not make Atlas origin point."

"So what happened next?" Hansel raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I knew the technology was very similar to many Atlesian designs, so I examined recent inventions from Atlesian scientists." Oobleck explained. "When that got me nowhere, however, I had a breakthrough."

"What kind?" Hansel asked.

"Remember how I said Atlas's view on the death penalty was vastly different from the other kingdoms?" Oobleck asked. "I thought to myself: 'for what reason would scientists place a deadly wristband on someone?'"

"And then it hit me like a caffeine high." Oobleck smiled triumphantly. "They would do that because that someone would have to be among the dregs of society."

Oobleck then reached into his desk and revealed a news article with an image at the top. "This was an article from several years back about Atlas' maximum security prison placing tracking devices on prisoners. Look familiar?"

Hansel took a look at the picture, particularly at the wristbands adorning the inmates. His eyes widened. "That looks just like our wristband." Hansel realized.

Oobleck nodded. "Not only does the technology match usual designs we see out of Atlas, but it looks similar to a device meant to corral prisoners, and the fact that it carries a necrotoxin matches Atlas' willingness to use the death penalty."

The gears in Hansel's head started to turn as he grew to realize what this meant. "This wristband must be a prototype for some new device meant to keep track of prisoners. And if they stepped out of line for whatever reason, or even escaped from jail, Atlas could just execute them, no problem."

Oobleck nodded. "And it appears someone stole this prototype from them and gave it to Don Corleone. I almost feel sorry for him, he probably never knew what it really was."

"But here's what's really strange. I took a look at the recent news after I came to this revelation." Oobleck continued. "There has been no mention of a thief. Atlas must be keeping this quiet because even they know that such a device is morally and ethically questionable, even by their standards."

Hansel growled. "James Ironwood keeping dangerous secrets again. Par for the damn course." He muttered.

Oobleck sighed. "What a mess this is." He mused tiredly before adding, completely serious. "Hansel, I don't think I need to tell you this, but the fact that Atlas is keeping this under wraps means that they've probably got the production of this device kept under lock and key."

"That means," Oobleck continued grimly, "the only way these people you're after could have gotten their hands on it…"

"...Was if they had someone on the inside." Hansel finished with a frown. "A Gray Jackal agent who's stealing Atlas tech and giving it to the Organization."

Oobleck nodded. "Ozpin is not going to like to hear this." He muttered.

"Yeah, well he has to know." Hansel clenched his fist. "We almost got routed during the Vytal Festival because of Ironwood's idiotic show of force. I won't have us get caught off guard by Gray Jackal because he's embarrassed someone took a toy from him."

"Hansel," Oobleck tried to calm him, "General Ironwood means well."

"Yeah, that's what everyone tells me." Hansel cut off Oobleck. "And I believe it less and less the more I hear about shit like this."

Hansel took the poisonous wristband and moved to the doorway in and out of Oobleck's office. "I'm telling the Professor, he needs to know."

"I understand," Oobleck said softly.

"And Oobleck?" Oobleck was surprised Hansel had more to say, and was surprised by the young man's next words. "Thanks for doing this. I know you're busy. I really do appreciate you taking the time to solve this problem for me."

Oobleck could not help but smile. He could act tough all he wants, but he was still Glynda's little gentleman deep down. "You're very welcome, Hansel."

Shortly after, Professor Ozpin found himself staring at the murderous wristband before looking up at Hansel. "And you are absolutely certain that this technology originated in Atlas?" He had to make sure.

"Oobleck's logic was sound." Hansel noted. "Sir, I don't like Ironwood, but you know I'm not the type to just toss out accusations like these."

"No, you aren't, I taught you better than that." Ozpin acknowledged before heaving a sigh. "Honestly though, I cannot help but agree with Barty's reasoning. Based on his deductions, it is reasonable to suggest that this technology originated in Atlas."

"And considering the mystery behind it, we are indeed forced to assume this was some secret project that was stolen and then placed on Anthonio Corleone." Ozpin continued. "And because of the project's probable secrecy, we are forced to assume that the culprit was indeed an inside man who is actually an agent for Gray Jackal."

Hansel folded his arms. "So what do you want to do about this?" He asked.

"If there is an inside man in one of our own academies, I cannot ignore this." Ozpin admitted. "But if I tell James, I know he'll overreact in his investigation and then we'll never find out who was responsible."

"Like hell I want him screwing with my mission anyway." Hansel muttered.

"Hansel, you can't keep disregarding the benefits of teamwork." Ozpin reprimanded his apprentice. "How do you think I've managed to help keep this unstable but effective peace all this time? By having allies everywhere."

Hansel grumbled at that statement. Ozpin then continued. "But, being an effective ally also means knowing the weaknesses of your friends." He acknowledged. "And no matter how much I tell James not to, he'll overreact and basically place the whole kingdom on lockdown, making everyone a suspect."

"And when everyone's a suspect, you will never find who the guilty party is." Ozpin pointed out. "Not only that, but the stress and fear of having a traitor inside their ranks…"

"Will attract more Grimm, I know." Hansel nodded.

Ozpin gave Hansel a knowing smile. "I can only do so much here in Vale." He noted. "But if I had someone to constantly pester James and remind him not to frighten our traitor out of revealing himself…"

Hansel's eyes widened. "Sir," he said, "are you asking me to go to Atlas and investigate this matter?"

Ozpin smiled and nodded. "On two conditions." He held two fingers up. "First, while I do expect you to keep James from his bad habits, please keep arguments with him to a minimum."

Hansel growled, not okay with that at all. "I'll try." He could only say.

"And the second," Ozpin continued with a teasing smirk, "is that you bring one team of students with you."

Hansel sputtered at this. "What?" He exclaimed. "No way! Not gonna happen! A bunch of students got in my way before, I am not letting that happen again!"

"Hansel, you're a teacher now." Ozpin reminded him. "If a teacher goes somewhere without his students, it's going to look suspicious. Think of this team as extra tools for your investigation."

Hansel let out a sound that was a mixture of a grumble and a whine, making his mentor chuckle. "Might I suggest Team RWBY?" He could not help but tease. "They seem to like involving themselves in your business."

Hansel could not help but let out a yell of frustration, making Ozpin laugh. Hansel then took a deep breath, composing himself. "Yeah, I guess I'll take them along. Especially if taking a team is one of your conditions, Sir."

Ozpin was actually taken aback by Hansel's response. "Hansel, I was only joking." He said. "While you do need to take a team with you, it doesn't _have_ to be Team RWBY."

"Nah, it has to be them." Hansel sighed. "Those four constantly need to be given something to do, otherwise they're just going to get in more trouble."

Ozpin looked at Hansel in disbelief. "And besides, I'm also responsible for Rose's development into a Silver Eyed Warrior, right? It's best she stays within my sight so I can make sure she's on the right track. I guess that means the same will have to go for her teammates. Seriously, Professor, I feel like I can't turn my back on her for one second."

Ozpin smiled, realizing Hansel was slowly growing into his role without even realizing it. "Anyway," Ozpin continued, "you can use bringing them along as some sort of 'student exchange' program, that can give students a taste of different learning experiences on their path to becoming professionals."

"I'll reach out to James with this idea and run it by him. Of course, I'll also be telling him you'll be going as part of your investigation, which has led you to Atlas. I'll leave it to you to explain everything when you are there. Once everything goes through, I expect you to properly prepare Team RWBY for their trip to Atlas. Do you think a week will be enough for you to find the culprit."

Hansel nodded in determination. "Yeah, that'll be plenty of time." He responded.

Ozpin nodded. "That will be all then, Hansel. I'll get you when we have some new developments."

Hansel bowed in respect. "Thank you, Sir." He said softly, exiting Ozpin's office.

Ozpin found himself in contemplation now. "I pray that this isn't James' doing at all." He admitted. "The last thing we need right now is a traitor that deep in our midst."

That night, after another successful day at school (and reading the boring-to-some, interesting-to-others essay _Finishing the Fight_ ), the students of Beacon began drifting off to sleep one by one, all snuggled in bed, with visions of dead Grimm dancing in their head...it's better not to ask.

One in particular was Pyrrha Nikos, who had one of her first peaceful nights since the Vytal Festival. As she completely drifted into dreamland, the new Fall Maiden found herself in a beautiful forest. The season seemed to be Autumn, as the leaves of the trees were all a beautiful yellow, orange and red. It was almost picturesque.

Pyrrha instinctively smiled at sight. "This is beautiful." She said breathlessly.

"It is, isn't it. I definitely prefer this over the rainy landscape that was your mind over the past few weeks." Pyrrha tensed now. A voice that was new but somehow familiar rang out behind her.

Pyrrha looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened in disbelief. Standing before her was a girl whom she had last seen motionless inside of that accursed machine. The girl took one look at Pyrrha before smiling sadly. "Oh dear," she said, "it looks like you still haven't reached the point where you can harness our power."

The girl's smile then brightened. "But that's fine, we have all the time in the world." She noted. "And you're making progress at least. Thanks to that wonderful aunt of yours, your mind is now clear and your resolve is set."

"Anyway, I'm sure you know me already, but allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Amber, I was the previous Fall Maiden. It's very nice to meet you, Pyrrha."

 **A.N: Saddle up partners, we're traveling to Atlas!**


	20. Chapter 20: Golden Opportunity

**A.N: So, a few big announcements, I created a TV Tropes page for Wild Hunt for a little extra advertisement. Feel free to add to it if you like. Just google "RWBY Wild Hunt TV Tropes" and you should get the link.**

 **Also, for anyone who enjoys my writing and wants to see some original content, check out my profile, because I just added an update for my original novel: Age of Heroes.**

 **Chapter 20: Golden Opportunity**

James Ironwood found himself instinctively picking the wax out of his ear, a gross thing for someone of his station to do, but it was instinct, because he honestly thought he had misheard what Professor Ozpin was trying to say to him over FaceTime on their scrolls. "Could you...repeat that, Oz?" He requested.

"Certainly," Ozpin said, "it has come to my attention that the world, especially the people of Vale, has a very low opinion of the Kingdom of Atlas."

Ironwood held his face in the palm of his hand in exhaustion. "Something that I seem to be the only one concerned about." He noted, thinking about all those rich fools and stuffy military leaders who brushed off Atlas's lack of popularity with the rest of the world.

"James," Ozpin continued, "you and I both know this can't be allowed to stand. Divided, we are vulnerable."

"Ozpin, we were just as vulnerable united." Ironwood reminded him.

Ozpin shook his head. "James," he said sternly, "I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Your actions played a huge part in dividing us. I need you to understand that."

Ironwood grimaced at that statement. He honestly did not agree. Nne of what happened at the Vytal Festival would have taken place in the first place had Ozpin listened to him from the beginning. However, Ironwood held his tongue. The last thing he wanted right now was get into an argument with the only person he could count on to support him if the Atlas Council came after his position. And he certainly did not want to lose a friend in Ozpin too.

"And so, I'm suggesting a weeklong student exchange program. One team from Atlas comes to Beacon and a team from Beacon comes to learn from Atlas." Ozpin said simply. "We'll spend the rest of this week working out the necessary paperwork."

"I take it that it won't just be a team of students?" Ironwood inquired. "Will a member of our respective faculties be accompanying these students?"

"That is correct, James." Ozpin nodded. "I'll leave choosing the Atlas teacher to you, of course. I should inform you, however, that we have already chosen our representing professor and team for this."

"I'm sure you have. Glynda always was an obvious choice for events like these. Peter and Barty mean well, but they are...quirky. And Professor Peach is rarely around." Ironwood noted.

Ozpin could not help but chuckle at Ironwood rushing to such an assumption. "What?" Ironwood said flatly.

"You know, with how eager you are to see her, you really can't be surprised when sometimes we tease you about a possible schoolboy crush, James." Ozpin noted.

Ironwood frowned. "Oz, I'm far too professional to date a colleague like Glynda." He claimed.

"Don't worry, I believe you." Ozpin promised.

"Anyway, it's actually not Glynda, James." Ozpin told him. "Hansel will be the professor representing Beacon."

Ironwood went as stiff as a board, doing his best impression of an emotionless robot. The general heaved a sigh and found his voice. "I thought you said this was supposed to _improve_ relations between Vale and Atlas." He said, already feeling the headache coming along.

Ozpin frowned at Ironwood's statement. "Hansel has promised me that he intends to do his best to remain professional. I expect you to do the same, James." Ozpin sternly told him.

"Oz, I'm not some child that needs to be reminded to get along with his siblings." Ironwood frowned at Ozpin's tone.

"And yet you both have no problem acting like children when you're in the same room." Ozpin reminded him. "At least Hansel has hot headed youth as an excuse to fall back on. A weak excuse certainly, but an excuse all the same. You are a grown man, James. And yet you can't seem to restrain yourself from talking down to him, treating him like a child, when he's just as valuable to our efforts."

"And I especially need you to be cooperative, as in his free time, Hansell will be investigating a new lead he discovered on Gray Jackal." Ozpin revealed, purposely hiding that the lead Hansel was investigating was a mole in Ironwood's own army. He would leave that news to Hansel.

Ironwood frowned. "Couldn't he just pass the information onto me and I could look into this lead for him?" Ironwood suggested.

"Do you think I didn't suggest that myself?" Ozpin frowned. "I don't mean to sound harsh, James, but Hansel does not trust you. The only way we were going to look into this was if he went himself. However, he does still need your cooperation."

"He doesn't trust me, and yet he still expects me to cooperate with him?" Ironwood deadpanned.

"Because I expect _him_ to cooperate with _you._ " Ozpin sternly told Ironwood.

Ironwood heaved a sigh. "Hansel knows the position he is in." Ozpin assured Ironwood. "And while I'm fully expecting you two to butt heads at least once or twice, I know I can trust him to remain professional and make sure all of this goes off without a hitch. What I want to know is, can I trust you to do the same?"

Ironwood nodded without hesitation. Personal feelings aside, he was a professional. "You can, Oz." Ironwood told him. "Send me the paperwork. I'll make the announcement to my school and we'll get everything signed and have one of our teams over at Beacon by next Monday."

Ozpin smiled and nodded, satisfied with that answer. "Thank you, James." He said gratefully. "I truly do believe this next week will be beneficial to both our schools and our kingdoms."

"I really do hope you're right, Oz." Ironwood managed to return the smile with his own. "I'll talk to you later."

And with that, Ironwood cut the connection between himself and Ozpin. At that moment, he turned his attention to an older woman who bore a striking resemblance to Weiss Schnee. "Well, Specialist Schnee, your thoughts?"

Winter Schnee folded her arms. "The idea has merit. If the people won't concern themselves with Atlas' reputation outside of our kingdom, then we're going to have to take matters into our own hands." She noted.

"A sound statement." Ironwood nodded.

"Although, I am with you in my concerns regarding Hansel Kobalt." Winter admitted.

"Are you speaking as an Atlesian Specialist or a concerned sister?" Ironwood inquired curiously.

"Both, sir," Winter replied, "I respected Weiss' decision to attend Beacon to get away from our father, but I did so under the belief that she would get a decent education. But now...I simply do not have any confidence in the academy. However, Hansel Kobalt's reputation alone merits concern. That is where my concern as an Atlesian Specialist comes in."

Ironwood sighed. "Oz acts like I have some sort of personal vendetta against the boy." He noted. "But every concern I have regarding him stems from the good of the many."

"I was never aware that you had a history with him, sir." Winter admitted.

"It's not like I talk about every person I argue with." Ironwood pointed out. "I'd be having a never ending conversation if that were the case."

"Would it be too much to ask why you and Hansel don't get along, sir?" Winter inquired curiously. "It just seems strange that you of all people would constantly argue with someone like that. It just seems beneath your station."

"Perhaps you are right, but it's always been like this." Ironwood admitted with a sigh. "I've been against Hansel's closeness with Oz ever since he was that scared and confused little boy that was dropped off at Beacon without warning."

"From the very beginning, I've always been concerned that he was a distraction for Oz, and for Glynda too. I just can't help but wonder if any setbacks we've experienced over the years, trying to maintain world peace could have been avoided if Oz was one hundred percent dedicated to his duties and not distracted by raising and training a flight risk of a child."

Winter frowned. "Sir, not that I don't disagree, but don't you think that's a little harsh? It's not like the boy had any control of where he ended up."

Ironwood almost pointed out that Hansel could have and should have ended up in foster care, rather than being raised and trained by someone who had more important duties. However, memories of the last time he pointed that out came rushing back and Ironwood felt his heart drop in sadness. Even he could no longer believe that.

"Maybe I am harsh, but harshness is a necessity sometimes when trying to maintain peace." Ironwood noted. "And even if I admit to that, it still doesn't assuage my concerns that he _is_ a flight risk."

"As a soldier, Hansel is a very unique case. He's not beholden to kingdoms, religions, schools, that kind of stuff simply means nothing to him in the grand scheme of things." Ironwood explained. "The only thing he's one hundred percent loyal to is Ozpin, the man who took him in. And as the closest thing he's ever had to a mother, Glynda is a very close second."

"Is that a bad thing?" Winter asked. "While we've had our disagreements with him, it cannot be denied that Ozpin is dedicated to the world's safety and security. And if Hansel is fully loyal to Ozpin, that makes him loyal to Ozpin's cause."

"And what exactly would happen if Hansel found someone he admired more than Ozpin?" Ironwood asked curiously. "Or worse yet, what if he lost faith in Ozpin?"

Ironwood sighed. "The reality is, if that boy went rogue...if he turned against us, and was no longer restrained by the morals he learned from Ozpin, he would, without a doubt, become one of the most dangerous men in the world."

Ironwood found himself thinking back to the time he asked Professor Peach about the psychiatric profile she had done on Hansel when the boy was sixteen, a year before he went into the field. _"Hansel possesses a near-pathological desire to prove himself, to complete whatever it is he has currently set his mind to. I can't really tell you what this stems from, because he was rather guarded during his tests, but it does worry me."_

"His family was the same way." Ironwood admitted. "The Kobalts...there were none more driven to succeed than them. If there was something they wanted to do, something they had set their mind to completing, they would not rest until it was finished."

"I wasn't aware you had history with the Kobalt Family either." Winter admitted.

"One of my first jobs in the army was guard duty for a Kobalt, before...the incident that destroyed their reputation." Ironwood explained before sighing sadly, reminiscing about those days.

"Back then...I truly admired their family. Not only were they the most driven among us...but there has, and most likely never will be, a group of people with more love in their hearts than the Kobalts." Ironwood revealed.

"Love, sir?" Winter was surprised at Ironwood's choice of words.

"For the world." Ironwood explained. "The Kobalts loved the people of Remnant, more than anything. Everything they created, everything they ever did was with the desire to protect that which they love."

"It was that love," Ironwood grimly revealed, "that drove them mad in the first place."

Winter's eyes widened. "That is why he's a flight risk." Ironwood explained. "What sane general lets someone like that run freely without restrictions? I can assure you, Winter. I have no irrational hatred for that boy or his family. I just can't afford to take any foolish risks."

"Why did Professor Ozpin take him in?" Of all the things Winter could have asked Ironwood, that was a question that truly surprised him.

"If you believe all this, there's no way that the professor had not at least considered these possibilities. So why did he take Hansel in?" Winter was very curious about that.

Ironwood sighed. "I don't know," he admitted, "the only explanation Oz ever offered was that the boy needed love, not isolation."

Ironwood then gave Winter a completely serious gaze. "Schnee," he said, "I don't think I need to tell you this, but my feelings should not impact your interactions with him. Whether we like it or not, Hansel will be the one taking these students to Atlas. I expect you to at least try and act cordial with him, as I will."

Winter nodded in understanding. "I am a professional, sir." She said. "I won't make the same mistake I did with Qrow Branwen."

Ironwood then remembered the other reason Hansel was investigating. He decided to ask Winter's opinion on the matter. "What kind of lead do you think Hansel is investigating?" He asked curiously.

Winter sighed. "I wish I knew, sir." She admitted. "But, it appears that we will be receiving no such information until Hansel himself has arrived."

Ironwood sighed, visibly bothered by this. "Oz wants us to cooperate with Hansel, and yet they won't even let us in on whatever it is that's going on."

"Sir, not that I don't wish they were more open about whatever is happening, but right now, we don't have the luxury to be picky." Winter reminded him.

Ironwood sighed again. "I know," he acknowledged, "Atlas' reputation has taken a major blow ever since the Vytal Festival. None of the kingdoms trust us right now."

 _I wish they understood the necessity of my decisions._ Ironwood thought to himself.

"Then, if I may be so bold as to suggest this, it may be best to play by Professor Ozpin and Hansel's rules and use this event to repair our reputation." Winter suggested.

"I was thinking the exact thing." Ironwood admitted. "I trust you to do your part as well, Schnee."

"Of course, I am a humble soldier, General. I will do my best." Winter promised.

"That's what I like to hear. Dismissed, Specialist."

Back at Beacon Academy, Team RWBY found themselves strolling to Hansel Kobalt's office together. All four had received the same message on their scrolls from the young teacher: Come to my office now.

"Did we do something wrong?" Weiss immediately wondered.

"Yang?" Blake eyed her best friend suspiciously.

Yang actually looked offended. "Why do you immediately assume I did something to piss off Teach?"

"Maybe it's because you've made a game out of teasing the professor." Weiss deadpanned.

Yang stuck her tongue out at that statement. "Real mature, Yang." Blake sarcastically muttered.

The quartet arrived at Hansel's office. Ruby hummed thoughtfully at the familiar sight. "Been awhile since I've been here." She mused to herself before knocking.

They heard Hansel's muffled voice on the other side of the door. "Come in!"

Ruby opened the door and led her team inside. Ruby was already used to Hansel's office looking like a dorm room, having already seen it. The rest of the team was a different story.

"This looks more like a dorm room than an office." Weiss said exactly what the rest of the team was thinking.

Hansel Kobalt was calmly sitting in an armchair, eating from a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Ruby's eyes immediately were drawn to the plate, almost hypnotically. Blake's senses perked up, smelling the faint scent of a recently opened oven. She turned to see a tiny kitchen. Did Hansel bake those himself?

Hansel noticed Ruby's trance-like stare, directed at the plate of cookies he had baked and rolled his eyes. "Here." He muttered, taking a cookie and tossing it at Ruby.

Ruby, much to the shock of her teammates, caught the cookie like a dog playing fetch and immediately began to nibble on it.

"I'm actually kind of jealous of the setup you've got here, Teach." Yang admitted with a smile. "We don't get a kitchen."

"How does this count as an office?" Weiss wondered. "This looks nothing like a teacher's office."

Hansel rolled his eyes again, hearing that statement for the third time in his life since coming back to Beacon. "Yeah, I get that a lot." He said. "This place was renovated specially for me when I started living and training here. As for the kitchen, if I'm remembering correctly, Glynda was the one who insisted on it."

"Anyway," Hansel continued, "sit anywhere you like. I don't care. I just need you four present-"

"SO GOOD!" Hansel almost leapt from his chair, startled by Ruby's sudden joyous squeal of delight. "This cookie tastes so good."

Hansel gazed at the cookies in surprise. "Really?" He seemed surprised. "Honestly, I don't think they're my best work. The spaghetti I made for dinner a few days ago, that was one of my better works. I actually had to leave some for leftovers the next day because the sauce soaks into the noodles more, and then it really tastes good."

"...You cook?" Weiss realized what Hansel was getting at.

Hansel shrugged. "Is that really such a surprise? Huntsmen need to know all sorts of skills to survive in the field. Not every day is eating out at nice restaurants."

"Glynda taught me to cook." Hansel gazed at the kitchen. "Whether it's roasting meat over a campfire or using actual cooking appliances, cooking is cooking."

Ruby finished scarfing down her cookie. She then gazed hungrily at Hansel's plate. Hansel frowned slightly and picked up the plate. "Everyone gets one." He told her flatly.

Ruby pouted before crouching like she was about to pounce on Hansel. Hansel gave Ruby a deadpan expression, knowing what was about to happen. "You _really_ want to do this?"

"You bet I do." Cookies were serious business to Ruby Rose.

Yang face-palmed at the sight of the two staring each other down, knowing what was coming. Ruby then transformed into rose petals and flew towards Hansel, intent on stealing from that plate of cookies.

Hansel kept that same deadpan expression on his face as he casually moved the plate up and down, side to side, but always out of Ruby's reach. The rest of Team RWBY could only watch with a mixture of annoyance and awe as Hansel calmly kept the plate of cookies away from Ruby for about five minutes.

Heaving a tired sigh, Hansel reached out to the petals and tightened his hand into a fist. Ruby appeared in her physical form, her collar in Hansel's hand. She wriggled in his grip, trying to get free. "Enough." Hansel simply but sternly told her.

Ruby pouted. "I was holding back, for the record." She claimed. "I didn't want to make a mess of your room."

Hansel rolled his eyes. "How did you know you'd get Ruby by the collar if you did that?" Yang asked curiously.

"I didn't." Hansel replied simply.

Yang smirked. "What would've happened if you accidentally grabbed Ruby by her...ahem, budding roses." She teased, still thrilled with the knowledge she had gained last Saturday that Hansel was shy when the subject of women's bodies came up.

Ruby turned red at this while Blake and Weiss both glared at Yang for her crassness. Hansel managed to remain stoic, not wanting to give her the satisfaction. Inwardly, however…

 _Oh thank God, that could've been embarrassing._ Was what Hansel was actually thinking. _And how in the world was I going to explain something like that to Glynda and Professor Ozpin?_

"She shouldn't have been acting so childishly." Hansel tried to deflect. "What would _you_ have done."

"I would've asked if you enjoyed the touch and then I would've broken your jaw.' Yang said bluntly.

"Better people than you have tried, Xiao Long. In fact, better people than you have tried to do _much worse_." Hansel rolled his eyes. "Anyway, enough wasting time. I called you four here for a reason. And I'd really rather not waste my time not talking about that reason."

"We're not in trouble, are we?" Blake asked in worry.

Hansel raised his hand in reassurance. "Nah, nothing like that." He promised. "If you four were in trouble, I would've punished you during class, or added another parameter to this Saturday's detention."

"...So we're really still doing that every weekend?" Yang asked.

"What, did you think I wasn't serious?" Hansel looked at Yang in disbelief.

"...I was kinda hoping you at least had a very bad sense of humor." Yang shrugged.

"Does it count if I'm laughing at you four on the inside?" Hansel asked.

"You can laugh?" Yang countered.

Blake held her face in her palm, clearly unable to take another minute of Yang and Hansel in this weird game of one-upmanship they seemed to have. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God." She chanted.

Hansel folded his arms, relaxing into his chair. "Enough, I'm not going to get pulled into your pace." That seemed to be directed towards himself as much as it was towards Yang. "I called you four here because it relates to your education over next week."

"Our education?" Weiss was confused, and a bit worried. Last time Hansel did something that concerned their education, Ruby ended up pulling them into fighting some crime lord.

"In an effort to mend the relationship between Atlas and Beacon, Professor Ozpin came up with a stroke of genius of his own." Hansel explained. "Next week, a team and teacher from Atlas Academy will be traveling to Vale to learn here. A team and teacher from Beacon will be traveling to Atlas to do the same. Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood are working out the paperwork right now."

"A brilliant political move!" Weiss immediately exclaimed. "The academies are the linchpin of the kingdoms. Such an act shows we are still united in spite of everything."

"God knows Atlas could use some good PR after the mess they got themselves into." Hansel noted. "Still can't figure out how they thought _any_ of the shit they pulled was a good idea."

"Wait, why are you telling us this, sir?" Blake inquired curiously.

"I'm surprised you haven't already figured it out." Hansel admitted before adding in his usual deadpan tone. "Congratulations, you four will be the team traveling to Atlas with me."

All four students gave their teacher a blank look at that statement. "Do...we get any say in this?" Yang asked curiously.

"None whatsoever," Hansel responded bluntly, "Professor Ozpin and I talked when he approached me with the idea and we immediately agreed you four were the best for this program for a variety of reasons."

"Awesome!" Ruby cheered, once again, catching Hansel off guard with her enthusiasm. "I've never been to Atlas! I've never even been out of Vale! This'll be so much fun!"

"Yang, we've gotta make sure we get as many souvenirs as possible when we're not studying!" Ruby said to her sister, who looked just as excited.

"I'm way ahead of you, Sis!" Yang cheered right back.

"You two aren't going to have any time for that." Hansel bluntly told them, but found himself ignored by their excitedness.

"Sir," Blake nervously spoke up, "I think you should find a different team to accompany you."

Everyone fell silent while Hansel stared at Blake, who was fidgeting uncomfortably. "That's not going to happen." Hansel bluntly told her. "We've already decided it's going to be you four, and that's final...didn't I _just_ say you four had no say in this?"

Weiss looked at Blake, realizing immediately why she had a problem with going to Atlas. Frankly, so did she. So, Weiss decided to make sure Blake was not alone in this and spoke up herself. "Sir," she said, "I too have an issue with going to Atlas."

Ruby and Yang looked at their respective partners in surprise before slowly catching onto what the issue was. "Er...so do we." They said in unison.

"You two do not, in any way, sound believable after cheering about souvenirs." Hansel pointed out to the sisters. Hansel then turned his attention to Weiss. "As for you, Schnee, you don't _have_ to confront your old man."

"You don't know my father, Professor." Weiss told him. "He'll find out I'm in Atlas, and he'll try to find some way to get me back under his thumb."

Hansel folded his arms. "Will you let him?"

"Excuse me?"

"Will you let him?" Hansel repeated. "It's a simple 'yes or no' question, Schnee."

"Sir, it's more complicated than that." Weiss told him.

Hansel shook his head. "It really isn't." He replied. "If you don't want him to do whatever it is you are so afraid of, don't let him. Remind him _exactly_ of what I told him that day in the hospital."

Weiss' eyes widened in realization. "A Schnee on the frontlines is much better publicity for good old Jacques Schnee than some sheltered, shellshocked princess." Hansel reminded her.

Weiss looked at Blake in sympathy. Her worries had honestly made her forget how Hansel had managed to talk down her father before. But now, she was no help to Blake and her own concerns about going to Atlas.

Hansel then turned his attention to Blake, whose "bow" was suspiciously drooping now. "Now, why is Belladonna so concerned about going to Atlas?" Hansel mused. "Maybe it's because she's a Faunus?"

Blake turned pale while the rest of Team RWBY looked at Hansel in shock. "What?!" Ruby started sweating, immediately in denial. "No way is Blake a Faunus. That bow is just a bow. No way are they cat ears or something."

"Drop the bullshit." Hansel bluntly told the girls. "Using a paper-thin disguise like that is insulting to someone who's literal job is to hunt for and investigate evil. If I missed something that badly concealed, I'd have to laugh in my own face."

Blake sighed, now having realized the jig was up, and untied the ribbon around her ears, revealing that they _were_ indeed ears. "How long did you know?" She asked softly.

"From the beginning." Hansel replied. "In fact, the whole faculty has known from the start, sorry to say. You may be able to fool your classmates, Belladonna, but I can assure you that disguise won't fool any professionals."

Blake's cat ears drooped again at this. Hansel heaved a sigh. "So let me guess," he said, "you don't want to go to Atlas because out of all the four kingdoms, Atlas has been the most notorious for how it has treated Faunus in the past."

"That's...one hundred percent accurate." Blake admitted. "I came to Beacon to avoid discrimination, to prove that it didn't matter what I was."

"So you decided to _hide_ your identity instead of embracing it?" Hansel raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't that seem a little counterproductive?"

"What do you know?" Blake glared instinctively at Hansel. "You're not a Faunus."

"You're right, I'm not." Hansel nodded in agreement. "But I am someone who's traveled the world and gotten the perspective of a lot of people, human and Faunus alike."

"That's one of the perks of being hated by the majority of Remnant," Hansel revealed, "you're forced to become a wallflower and that makes you more capable of learning through observation."

Ruby's face fell at Hansel reminding them how much Remnant irrationally hated him. Blake glared at Hansel, viewing his words as trivializing the Faunus struggle. Hansel noticed Blake's look and sighed. "Don't get the wrong idea, it's not like I don't sympathize with the Faunus." Hansel told her. "Honestly, it's counterproductive to be that negative towards anyone, let alone an entire race. You'd think we'd know that, considering the monsters we have to face."

"But here you are, acting like the entire world's got something against the Faunus, without even recognizing that the world's also made great strides in trying to make things better for your kind." Hansel pointed out to her. "Don't you think that's a little bit insulting?"

Blake's ears seemed to droop even more at this. Yang, seeing her best friend's sadness, spoke up on her behalf. "Teach, ease up on her, Blake's just trying to do what she thinks is right for her people." She tried to mediate between the two.

"Be honest with me, Belladonna." Hansel ignored Yang, but was now speaking a bit more gently towards her. "What were you trying to accomplish in hiding who you are when there are plenty of Faunus students in all the academies who embrace their identity?"

Blake did not respond to that, making Hansel sigh. "This issue you have is all the more reason for you to go to Atlas next week. That place...it's definitely still stuck in the older times. Point being, it's time you face...whatever issue you have with your identity head on."

"You make it sound so easy." Blake was back to glaring at Hansel now, who remained surprisingly calm.

Hansel shrugged. "Whether it's easy or not really doesn't matter. You just gotta do what you gotta do, that's all."

"You can glare at me all you want, Belladonna." Hansel was now frowning at her. "But mine and Professor Ozpin's decision stands. You four are coming with me to Atlas, and that's final."

"Especially now that it's clear to me that this is also a good opportunity a few of you to deal with some personal shit that's holding your potential back."

Ruby raised an eyebrow at Hansel's choice of words. Holding their potential back? Just what did he mean by that? "This is your golden opportunity to grow as Huntresses." Hansel informed them. "And there's no way in hell I'm going to let any of you waste it. I've heard each of your concerns, and the decision stands."

Hansel then gestured to the door. "The four of you are dismissed. Just so we're clear, I still expect you four to show up Saturday for your detention. If you're pissed at me, you better not skip it to spite me."

As the four silently closed the door, tensing at the thought of another tough run, Hansel sank into his armchair, frustrated with how off-the-rails that conversation got.

"Fucking hell," he complained, "it really does feel like it's one step forward and two steps back when it comes to how I interact with these students."

Hansel shook those thoughts away, figuratively and literally. "I can't let that distract me though." He reminded himself. "This isn't just for their sake, it's for mine too. Gray Jackal has infiltrated Atlas. I can't let that continue, no matter what."

Elsewhere, in an undisclosed location, the King of Diamonds was sitting in a chair eerily reminiscent of an actual king's throne. In front of him was a simple table, and around that table were three other 'thrones' that were currently empty, the seats for the other leaders of Gray Jackal.

King was in no way bothered by the absence of his three fellow leaders. He knew they each had their own duties. In fact, had Jack of Clubs and his lone Number, 2, not thrown themselves into Jack's research in response to King's ultimatum, Jack would be here right now.

It was the same with the Queen of Hearts and the Ace of Spades. Between Queen tendering her opposition letter to Circe Ithaca's plan for funding and Ace off killing whomever she damn well pleases to advance Gray Jackal's agenda, the only leader of Gray Jackal who was not extremely busy was King himself.

Of course, once Gray Jackal began operating more openly, that would change. But, until then, advancing Gray Jackal's agenda was a job for people like the Ace of Spades and her assassination division.

Speaking of which, King had a call to make. Reaching into his pocket, the hulking, regally robed behemoth of a man pulled out his scroll before dialing an unmarked number for a FaceTime chat. Much to his surprise, a man wearing a mask with the number 9 inscribed onto it appeared onscreen instead of who he was expecting.

King sighed, immediately realizing what was going on. "Is Ace busy, 9?"

King could have sworn he heard a terrified, pained scream on the other end. "I apologize on behalf of Ms. Ace, Sir." 9 replied. "Unfortunately a military detachment in Vacuo got too close to one of our safehouses. Ms. Ace is busy...purging them."

King heaved a sigh. "Damn, Vacuo is still such a headache. Can you pass off their deaths as an ambush from the Grimm? Maybe from highwaymen?"

"It will have to be Grimm, but yes, we will, sir." 9 promised. "5, 6, and I will take care of the cleanup as usual."

King frowned. "I won't say too much on this matter is because this detachment nearly saw something they shouldn't have. However, inform our safehouses to exercise a bit more secrecy. There comes a point where even Grimm can't be used as an excuse."

"Understood," 9 bowed his head, "is there anything else you wish for me to pass onto Ms. Ace?"

"Tell her to contact our assassin in Atlas." King ordered. "It appears we may need a distraction so that the Crooked Man can continue operating as our agent in Atlas' military."

"As you command, King. Do you have a preference on the distraction?" 9 inquired.

"He's a serial killer, is he not? Just tell him to do what he does best, and if he succeeds, he'll have the right to challenge one of you three in becoming one of the Numbers."

9 frowned at this. "To be blunt, King, he has no chance."

"I know that, 9, but a little incentive never hurt anyone." King pointed out.

"Will that be all, sir?" 9 asked curiously.

"That will be all, 9, please relay everything to Ace." King ordered, cutting the feed.

In the deserts of Vacuo, 9 pocketed Ace's scroll and turned to where his superior was, seeing the results of her latest carnage…

John Henry Redman was a proud and strong Huntsman. In fact, he was also quite famous. This was the man who's Semblance granted him a boost in stamina that made him an utter nightmare to fight. In fact, that Semblance was how Redman became famous. A year ago, a settlement was devastated by the murders of several children. That despair attracted a small army of Grimm that intended to devour what remained of the settlement over the course of a few nights.

That would have been the case, had John Henry Redman not been there. With his warhammer in hand, the man defended the town for three days and three nights while the people hid in their homes. At the end of night three, John Henry Redman was victorious and not a single civilian had died.

It made John Henry Redman a hero, an image of the Huntsman's strength and ability to never yield in the face of overwhelming odds. It was why he was hired for some extra muscle for this military detachment.

It was also why it was particularly jarring to see this mighty, proud man on his hands and knees with a blank, broken look in his eyes, groveling shamelessly at the feet of the woman who had brought him to heel. Panting with fear, Redman kissed and licked the shoes of the woman known as the Ace of Spades. The top half of her face was concealed by a mask with the letter 'A' on it. A katana was casually being run across the ground dangerously close to Redman. Around them were the corpses of all the other soldiers.

It had not been a fight, it had been a massacre...

Redman then looked up at Ace with a fearful look on his face. "S-see," he said, "I can beg like a dog, just like you wanted. N-now, you're going to let me go, right?"

Ace just smiled. She crouched down and softly stroked the face of Redman like an actual dog. Redman flinched for a brief moment before relaxing into the caress, still trying to play the part of a groveling dog to appease her.

Ace then straightened herself out without a word. Redman looked up at her expectantly. Then, in a flash, Redman's head caved in from the side as Ace nonchalantly kicked him in the side of the head, killing him instantly.

She then turned away, seeing 9 and two others who wore masks with the numbers 5 and 6 standing several feet away from her. "Are you finished, Ms. Ace?" 9 asked curiously, clearly not bothered by his superior's brutality.

Ace casually strolled towards her subordinate. She then drove her katana into the back of a twitching soldier and nonchalantly crushed the skull of another trying to crawl away. She barely acknowledged them. It was like she was simply crushing insects in the road without even knowing.

"Yes," Ace said.

"Good," 9 nodded, "I just got off your scroll with the King of Diamonds. He's decided to give Jack the Ripper a chance to prove himself worthy of trying to become a Number?"

"Oh phooey." Ace frowned. "I'm happy with you three."

"Oh well," Ace continued, "I suppose if King is concerned enough to set Jackie loose on a mission, I might as well take it seriously. I do expect you to give me all the juicy details, of course."

"Of course, Ms. Ace."

"Oh, and don't forget to cover this up. We wouldn't want the Kingdom of Vacuo to suddenly become suspicious of us." Ace pointed out.

"Of course, Ms. Ace." 9 snapped his fingers and 5 and 6 followed him to creatively stage the scene in a way that did not make Gray Jackal a suspect.

9 gazed at the carnage left by his superior, than at the woman herself. _Oh my Lady Ace,_ 9 thought wistfully, _even when surrounded by carnage, surrounded by blood and gore, you are still an unmatched, peerless beauty._

Back at Beacon, Blake Belladonna was desperately trying to avoid lashing out at... _anything_ really, by reading. However, based on the furrowed brow and angry eyes, that was not succeeding.

Yang noticed her partners distress and sighed. "You know we're going, no matter what happens, right?" She pointed out to her, displaying surprising maturity. "If Professor Ozpin was originally the one who came up with this plan, than that's it. There's not much else we can do."

"I know that, it's just so frustrating." Blake closed the book. "For someone who claims to sympathize with the Faunus, he doesn't seem to have a problem trivializing their suffering."

Yang frowned, uncertain of how to respond to that. Weiss spoke up. "Blake, no." She said simply. "He wasn't trivializing anything."

"Oh, so now you're taking his side?" Blake demanded. "Weren't you opposed to this trip too?"

"I still am." Weiss admitted. "And I'm not taking the professor's side. I'm just trying to look at this from multiple perspectives, something you encouraged me to do, once upon a time."

Blake fell silent at that statement. "I'm well aware that a majority of Atlas is still...horrible to Faunus, to say the least." Weiss admitted. "But Blake, don't you think the professor's at least got a point? That you need to at least acknowledge the strides we've all made to make things better?"

"I mean, think about it, Sun's a team leader from Haven. In fact, I believe Haven's Headmaster is a Faunus as well. Other than Cardin, Velvet is pretty popular here at Beacon. And then there was that Neon girl Yang went up against in the Vytal Festival. She was _from_ Atlas Academy."

Weiss sighed before continuing. "I'm well aware we still have a long way to go to fix human-Faunus relations, but we've made progress, Blake. You can't just disregard all the progress we've made just because that progress hasn't been to your liking."

Blake sighed. "I appreciate the thought you two, I really do, but you just don't get it. Faunus being allowed to attend Huntsmen academies, Faunus being given their own continent, what you all see as progress and trying to mend relations is just people giving 'fancy gifts' so that we stop complaining."

Weiss sighed and gave Blake a sympathetic look. "Then what is justice to you, Blake?" She asked. "What's your idea of equality?"

Blake fell silent. She honestly could not answer that. All those months since she had left the White Fang, and she still had not found her own justice, her own idea of equality.

At that moment, Ruby Rose stepped in, playing peacemaker. "Okay, team, enough of the depressing stuff." She said with a smile. "I get it, okay. We're all nervous for different reasons. Weiss because she'll be in the same kingdom as her dad again, and Blake because...well, she's a Faunus in Atlas."

"And Yang and I are nervous because we don't know what kind of souvenir we should get Dad and Uncle Qrow." Yes, Ruby, that was a reason to be nervous.

"Dad perhaps, but I'm going to find some way to procure some Atlesian Wine for Uncle Qrow." Yang looked determined.

"But I really do believe that as long as the four of us are together, we can get through this, and we can come out the other end stronger for it." Ruby promised.

Blake almost said something to rebut Ruby, only for the young leader to silence her with her next words. "And don't forget, if Weiss' dad or some jerk who doesn't like Faunus decides to give any of us trouble...well, the rest of us will have your back."

Ruby's smile widened. "We're a team, after all, a sisterhood of totes awesome Huntresses." She reminded them all. "And that means we've gotta protect each other when stuff that wants to hurt us decide to show up for whatever reason."

"Yeah, hells yeah." Yang smiled. "Ruby's right. Weiss, Blake, neither of you two have to worry. If any trouble comes, Ruby and I will have your back."

Weiss was briefly taken aback by those promises before smiling. "Honestly, with how immature you two can be, I shouldn't be so ready to believe in either of you." She noted before adding warmly. "Thank you, both of you. I'm really glad to be a part of this team."

Blake was still admittedly irked by her argument with the professor, but managed a smile, genuinely touched by Ruby and Yang's hearts. "Thanks you two." She said softly.

"And now that we've got that out of the way," and just like that, the mood changed with Ruby's next question, "what do you two think we should get our dad?"

Weiss deadpanned. "Ruby, you dolt," she said to her partner, "we've never even _met_ your dad. How could we possibly know what kind of gift he'd like?"

Thus began a debate between Ruby and Weiss about how helpful Weiss and Blake's opinion would be in souvenir shopping for Taiyang Xiao Long. And as the week passed, Ozpin and Ironwood worked out the necessary paperwork, which Team RWBY and Hansel would sign. By the time Sunday arrived, the quintet were waking up bright and early to board a flight to Atlas, ready to learn from the perspective of another school, intent on making good use of this "golden opportunity" as Hansel so eloquently put it.

However, Team RWBY would soon find out that their tangle with Don Anthonio Corleone was just the tip of the iceberg. Soon, they would find themselves being further pulled into conflict with an enemy just as dark as Salem herself...

 **AN: Ace-of-freaking-Spades ladies and gentlemen. From the demented mind that created a lord of chaos that caused a cosmic war out of hatred for his twin, and a depraved monster who "plays with" and then freezes women, comes this crazy woman. Definitely drew on my memories of Esdeath in writing that introductory scene. In fact, Esdeath's introduction was a heavy inspiration for it.**

 **I've got two more chapters in the wings that Ryuzaki and I are reviewing. And then, we'll be taking a break to see how canon goes, since Volume 7 is going to take place in Atlas. From there, who knows, maybe post some Wild Hunt Chibi to tie everyone over. Either way, I hope everyone enjoys the ride.**


	21. Chapter 21: Ruby Rose's Heart

**A.N: Glad I got these done when I did. With Fire Emblem Three Houses out I've been very preoccupied. BTW, Byleth is a teacher young enough to be a student that has been surprisingly brought aboard to train up-and-coming warriors. Hansel is Byleth from another universe, confirmed!**

 **Anyway, that game is awesome. A total 9/10 in my book. Hopefully this is as well. I'm realistic enough not to shoot for perfection.**

 **Chapter 21: Ruby Rose's Heart**

 _Do you believe in destiny? Pyrrha bravely stared down Cinder Fall once again._

 _Thunk! An arrow went straight into her heart. Pyrrha let out a death throe._

 _Yes, I do. Cinder said dispassionately._

 _Pyrrha! A scream of grief and rage._

Ruby Rose awoke with a startled expression, drenched in sweat. She was practically delirious due to her sheer fright from that horrible nightmare. "-by! Ruby!" Thankfully, Ruby was quickly brought out of her daze by a familiar call.

Ruby turned to see her big sister by her side. Instinctively, she looked down at Yang's arm and saw that it was still attached...unlike what she had seen in her nightmare yet again. "Y-Yang…" Ruby whimpered.

Yang instinctively brought Ruby into a tight embrace. Weiss and Blake gazed at the two sisters, both clearly still worried for their leader's well-being. "Umm...Yang?" Ruby got her sister's attention. "You can let go. I'm fine."

"Oh," Yang gasped, letting go of Ruby, "sorry. I guess I've gotten too used to comforting you after a nightmare, huh? I need to remember you're not a little kid anymore."

"No, it's fine." Ruby smiled. "I'm happy you did. You were just squeezing a little too tight. It was starting to get a little uncomfortable."

"You want to talk about it?" Yang asked.

Ruby sighed. She knew she could not hide this from Yang. "I was back at the Vytal Festival, the night we were attacked." She said. "But...it went differently this time. Everyone was hurt so badly...and Cinder...Yang, she killed Pyrrha, right in front of me."

Yang's eyes widened. "And after that, I just...lost control." Ruby continued. "That's the best I can describe it. I'd wake up soon after."

Yang heaved a sigh. "I guess this means you have a bit of PTSD after the Vytal Festival." She noted. "But PTSD that makes you dream of alternate events. I've never heard of that."

"Yang, I don't think you're qualified to talk about PTSD." Weiss spoke up. "You're not a psychiatrist."

Yang stuck her tongue out at Weiss for that statement. "But, Yang does bring up a good point, Ruby." Weiss acknowledged. "If you're still struggling with what happened that night, talking to a psychiatrist will help. I know our school has a counselor that's specifically trained for moments like these."

Ruby nodded in agreement. However, she had someone else in mind to talk to. "I'll go talk to someone." She promised. "I'll do it tonight, after our detention."

"That's my girl." Yang smiled. "Now go take a shower. We've got shopping to do."

The rest of the week had passed without much fanfare. When he was not teaching, Hansel was dealing with the necessary paperwork that Ironwood and Ozpin were throwing together to make the visit official. Team RWBY would also end up dealing with similar paperwork, albeit with much more reluctance on the part of both Blake and Weiss.

And so, after a quick shower and some breakfast, Team RWBY was on the first available Bullhead into the city. Their goal was shopping for any necessities they lacked for this week-long trip to Atlas.

Ruby, her concerns over her nightmare long forgotten, almost marched right to the local game store to stock up on the latest fighting games, only to be dragged to more practical places of business that sold traveling necessities by Weiss. In particular, a clothing shop.

"So, what exactly are we looking for here?" Yang asked curiously.

"Winter garbs," Blake Belladonna replied, "it's just like Weiss told us. Atlas' climate is far colder than Vale's. Almost like it's constantly in the winter months."

"Right, and if we have to go to Atlas, we might as well go in clothes that will make sure we don't freeze our tits off." Yang said crudely before smirking. "Or in Weiss' case, mosquito bites."

"I heard that!" Weiss screamed from the other end of the store.

Yang ignored Weiss' anger. "Yo, Blake, that reminds me, you've heard stories about people who for some reason traveled to Atlas in their regular gear, right? I'm talking about the kind of stuff you wear during the summer. Who the hell in their right mind would dress like that? Hearing stories like those, it's definitely a good thing we're shopping here."

"Right, because if we _have_ to go to Atlas, we might as well be comfortable." Blake rolled her eyes.

Yang sighed. "Sheesh, it seems like we can't get through one week without at least _one_ of us being pissed at Teach." She noted.

"He's being unreasonable." Blake claimed. "If he knows how awful Atlas is to the Faunus, then why in the world is he insisting I go?"

Yang frowned slightly at Blake's choice of words. Even if she agreed that people were still racist towards Faunus, she could not necessarily believe it was institutional like it used to be. It was just like Teach said: the world had made great strides in improving human-Faunus relations. Blake should not just ignore those just because they are not up to her standards. And it was just like Weiss said, if there was still something of an institutional problem, Sun would not have become a team leader at Haven, Velvet would not be as well-liked at school as she is now, and that Neon girl from Atlas seemed oddly peppy and happy for someone at a school in the most "racist" kingdom.

Were there assholes that hated the Faunus out there? Absolutely, but assholes exist for all kinds of reasons. Is it an institutional thing? Yang honestly did not know for sure. She was no historian, but there was just no way things are as bad as they were back then.

Yang sighed. "Maybe he thinks it'll help you?" She suggested.

"How in the world could this help me?" Blake asked.

"I don't know, but you can't just assume he's doing it to hurt you." Yang pointed out.

"Perhaps he's thinking about why your Semblance is the way it is. And if that's the case, I honestly agree with him. Blake, you told me that your Semblance reflects your tendency to run from your problems." Yang reminded her. "And as badass as your Semblance is in a fight, what it means for you outside of the battlefield is...well, not good."

"I mean, for crying out loud, you came this close to running from us because of Adam." Yang pointed out.

Blake's ears drooped at this. "Yang, I…"

"Look, I'm not saying this trip is going to magically make your problems disappear, but it might help you." Yang told her. "And even if you don't believe me, there's literally no point in complaining. Like Teach said, it's final. And as I'm sure you noticed, Professor Ozpin thought it was final too. We're going to Atlas. You need to accept that."

Blake frowned, clearly not liking the fact that she was constantly being reminded of that. Yang then gave her best friend a smile. "But remember what Ruby said, if any jerks give you trouble, we've got your back. We're teammates after all, a sisterhood of totally awesome Huntresses-in-training."

That made Blake smile. "That...does make me feel better." She admitted. "You three have stuck by me through a lot. I know I can be a handful. So...thanks Yang."

At the other end of the store, Weiss watched as Ruby sped around the clothing racks, trying to find "the perfect winter coat." "Does it have to be red?" Weiss asked.

"Duh!" Ruby briefly phased out of rose petals and into existence. "My name is Ruby Rose! Rose like red, Weiss! That means, by the law of meaningful names, I must dress in an appropriate, color-coded manner."

Weiss sighed. "Well, I guess I'm glad you're...somewhat taking this trip seriously. Hopefully it'll rub off on Blake. I'd hate to see her get in trouble just because of this disagreement she's having with the professor."

Ruby then looked at Weiss in concern. "Weren't you opposed to this trip as well?" She pointed out.

Weiss nodded. "I'm just...nervous about it. I do see the benefits of it...it's just…"

"Your dad." Ruby finished.

Weiss nodded before putting on a brave smile. "I'm just going to tell father exactly what the professor told him. That I'm more useful to him and his company out on the front lines, showing the world that the Schnees are all in too."

"I never knew Professor Kobalt stood up to your dad like that." Ruby noted. "I guess he really is just a big softie."

Weiss chuckled. "Don't ever let him hear you say that, Ruby. Detention will be the least of our problems."

Weiss' expression then turned somber once more, still nervous at the very thought of confronting her father. Ruby looked at Weiss in concern. "Hey," she said, "not that it's any of my business, but...were things really that bad?"

Weiss sighed. "Do you want to know what my father did when he found out I wanted to attend Beacon? He made me fight a creature called the Arma Gigas to see if I was 'worthy'. He couldn't just leave well enough alone. He wanted me to either leave home with a few scars or stay a miserable failure that's easy for him to manipulate and control."

"Maybe he just wanted to make sure you were strong enough to live on your own?" Ruby hopefully suggested.

Weiss laughed bitterly. "Not my father." She claimed. "He hates anything and anyone he can't control, that he can't keep under his thumb. Winter's barely on speaking terms with him for that reason."

Weiss sighed. "I used to be able to let it go. I thought Father was always just a very stressed person, especially when the White Fang started getting more violent." She admitted. "I thought...once the White Fang were done with, he'd be a proper father to myself, Winter, and Whitley. Also, a proper husband to mother."

Weiss frowned. "But even when the White Fang weren't stirring up trouble, it stayed the same. I had blinded myself to that. Fail to be a proper lady, a proper Schnee, a proper noblewoman, well...if I wasn't Daddy's perfect princess...well, let's just say I became very familiar with just how cruel people's words could truly be. And it made me question if Father even was a good man to begin with."

Ruby's mouth was wide open, horrified by what she was hearing. To live with that kind of pressure. How had Weiss not broken from it all? Weiss sighed. "Unfortunately, Mother was rarely any better. As our family started drifting apart and their marriage collapsed, she just...withdrew into alcohol. My father can be an awful man. I can understand why Mother would want to retreat from it all sometimes and find comfort in something else."

Weiss's hands tightened into fists. "But the thing about retreating...is that you leave behind the people who still need you." She bitterly noted.

"Weiss…" Ruby said softly.

"Ruby...I know I haven't always been the best teammate and friend to...well, any of you." Weiss admitted. "But I want you to know that I do cherish our time together with all my heart."

"Because the truth is, you three have become more of a family to me than my own family ever was." Weiss sadly revealed. "And I guess...I'm just nervous about confronting it all again. I just don't know how I'm going to react to it all. And I feel like I need to react properly because you're all with me."

"I think you'll do fine." Ruby promised.

Weiss chuckled. "You say that with such ease." She noted. "Somehow...I just can't help but feel reassured by that."

Ruby smiled and nodded before quickly coming to a decision that seemed obvious to her. "Weiss," she said, not hesitating at all, "if you don't want to go home when school's out...you can always spend your break on Patch Island...with Yang and me."

Weiss' eyes widened at such a generous offer. "Ruby, I couldn't possibly impose." She quickly refused.

"No way!" Ruby laughed. "Weiss, you're family to me too. And if my family needs somewhere nice to spend school breaks then I'm going to try and give it to them. You'll love Patch Island. It's quiet, beautiful, Dad's cooking is awesome…"

"...Will Zwei be there as well?" Weiss asked, barely able to restrain herself from the gleeful thought of spending time with that adorable corgi.

"I mean, unless he's run away from home, yes." Ruby then added, worriedly. "God I hope he hasn't run away from home."

Weiss then embraced Ruby, much to her surprise. "Aww, hugs are nice." Ruby mused.

"You really are the best friend a girl could ask for." Weiss told her. "You know that, right?"

Ruby laughed. "Same to you," she replied, "I mean, you really know how to balance me out. At least, that's what Yang told me."

Ruby then gave Weiss a mischievous smirk. "So… Does this mean you finally admit we are BFF's?"

"What?" Weiss said flatly.

 _I should've seen this coming a mile away._ Weiss added inwardly.

"You know, best friends forever?" Ruby egged her on, thinking Weiss did not know what it meant. "Or as I sometimes call us, super besties?"

"Of course I already know what BFF means, Ruby" interrupted Weiss. She then added with a warm smile, "But I don't need a silly, cutesy label to know that we're best friends; it's your actions and steady loyalty that means the world to me, not that window dressing of an acronym."

"You never abandoned me, even when I treated you so awfully...thank you bestie." Weiss said softly.

Weiss broke the embrace and wiped a single tear of joy from her eye. "Okay," she said with a smirk, "now, let's get you some nice winter clothes. But you need to be open to not wearing red, do you understand?"

"Boo!" Ruby stuck her tongue out. "I'm gonna find the perfect red winter clothes and you can't stop me!"

And so, Team RWBY enjoyed their shopping trip, coupled with a delicious lunch. Soon, detention rolled around, and the four found themselves at the mercy of their taskmaster of a professor and his weighted clothes from hell.

Blake was still angry at the professor, evidenced by her glare at him. Surprisingly, Hansel was being the more mature one of the bunch. He simply ignored Blake's angry stares and ordered the group to begin their laps.

Hansel heaved a sigh. _Guess I hit a nerve when I pointed out the flaws in Belladonna's beliefs._ He noted. _Still, this kinda proves my point that this is all the more reason for Team RWBY to go to._

 _That's how Professor Ozpin did it after all. If he saw a weakness, he focused every effort on correcting it before we moved onto something else._ Hansel remembered. _When I first started, I had all the power in my swings, but no control. It put me dangerously off-balance. So, he dedicated our time to improving my balance and control before anything else._

 _In a way, this trip will be similar in that sense._ Hansel noted. _All four members of Team RWBY have some sort of crutch that's keeping them from improving._

 _With Belladonna, it's obvious. While I do agree that Remnant has a bad history with the Faunus, it ain't really a valid fallback anymore, especially when the world's been trying so damn hard to make things right._

 _The reality is, she's a wannabe politician trying to be a Huntress. She claims to fight for justice and equality, but I'm not so sure she knows what either of those actually are. Granted, I've never really taken the time to figure that out myself, but I do know that it's not what she thinks._

 _And then there's the fact that she hides her own identity while proclaiming to be a proud Faunus._ Hansel added. _And with that, there's only one conclusion I can make about Blake Belladonna's personality._

 _She's a coward. One who likes to spout off ideas of justice and equality, but has no idea how to actually achieve them. Hell, she doesn't even want to fight for them. Sure, she'll talk a big game and participate for awhile, but as soon as things aren't going her way, she'll just run from her problems._

Hansel heaved a sigh as a somber, angry expression appeared on his face. _Like how you spouted off ideas of love and family, and then as soon as it was convenient…_

Hansel trailed off, shaking his head, not wanting to remember those horrible things. _She thinks I'm being harsh, but my words come from experience. The reality is, the idea of justice is worthless in the world of Huntsmen. Mainly because the term changes its meaning with every person. Right and wrong tend to be more universal than justice. Anyone would argue that killing in cold blood is wrong. Anyone would argue that saving an innocent life is right. It only gets complicated when people begin to argue what is the just way to punish a killer, or what is more just: saving a human or saving a Faunus? Or even worse, when is it just to take a life?_

 _If Belladonna wants to be a great Huntress, she needs to discard this idea of being a bringer of justice and simply focus on what's right and what's wrong. Because what's_ _ **just**_ _to her isn't always what's_ _ **right**_ _to other people. Someone like her can never hope to bring forth equality with an attitude like that. This trip...hopefully this will give her the pride and confidence in her identity that she needs, and realize that if she really wants to focus her efforts on equality, there are some notions she needs to cast aside. And most importantly, she needs to stop running and face everything head-on, whether it's reality or even her own flaws. Both of which I'm concerned she's refusing to see._

 _And then there's Schnee,_ Hansel turned his attention to Weiss, who was beginning to lag behind her teammates. _Definitely an Atlas girl. More disciplined than all three of her teammates. In another life, she'd have made a hell of an Atlas Officer._

 _But her big test is how she handles her greatest tormentor, her own father._ Hansel frowned. _That bastard reeked of greed and ambition. Being in a hospital that day was bad enough, but being near him made it even worse._

 _But Schnee will never be a great Huntress if she can't even stand up to her asshole of a dad._ Hansel acknowledged. _I mean seriously. How can you be expected to save lives when you can't even protect yourself from the words of some scummy businessman who just so happens to be your old man?_

 _Hopefully when this trip is done, and Schnee manages to show her dad that she's taking control of her life, she'll have the confidence to move forward not as a Schnee Heiress, but as a Huntress who can conquer any demon like she conquered her own._

Next was Yang. _Xiao Long...ugh, probably one of two students who will probably give me the most gray hairs._ Hansel lamented. _If anyone has a discipline problem, it's her. Combine that with her complete lack of strategy, and were it not for her insanely good Semblance and strength, she'd be a liability._

 _Hopefully, she can learn a bit more discipline and control in her fighting from this trip. Atlas, for all its flaws, is still a military academy after all. And military academies focus on discipline._

Finally, Ruby, who was visibly pushing herself to keep up with Yang, who was in the lead. _I have to admit, that girl is definitely a hard worker._ Hansel acknowledged. _And at least she takes direction well...for the most part. In spite of that mess in the Neverland Gorge, Rose doesn't have the discipline problem her sister has._

 _I still can't help but think back to our chat outside the Neverland Gorge._ Hansel heaved a sigh. _The moment where I realized she was probably going to beat me over the head with her dream of becoming a hero for the rest of her time here. That dream...I can't bring myself to tell her how idiotic it is anymore, but perhaps experiencing how Atlas is will open her eyes._

 _Heroes, like the ones she wants to be...they don't accomplish anything in the end. Not in this world. It's the ones who devote themselves to the everyday grind that make even the tiniest bit of difference. And as a military academy, Atlas does make sure its soldiers can do the little things so that the people can live another day._

Hansel took one last look at Team RWBY. _One needs perspective, one needs discipline, one needs a victory, and one needs to face their own flaws. And all of these issues have the potential to be solved, or at least make progress towards, through a weeklong trip to Atlas._

 _I may be going there for my own purposes, but Professor Ozpin would be pissed at me if I didn't at least try to focus on how my students can use this as a chance to improve themselves._ Hansel noted. _But hopefully, I can take a more hands-off approach once we're there._

An hour of running soon passed. Once again, Team RWBY looked like corpses. Like last week, Hansel brought them water, told them to rest up and catch their breath, and then hit the showers afterwards. This time there would be no pizza. Which was fine, Team RWBY had the foresight to eat an early dinner this time anyway. Besides, Blake was too pissed at Hansel to want to eat dinner with him this time around.

Secretly though, at least one of the members had wanted pizza again. Ruby _really_ enjoyed it last time.

But, Ruby had other things to focus on now. The young Huntress in training had a promise to her teammates to keep. And as promised, Ruby was now on her way to speak with someone about her recurring nightmare. However, what the rest of Team RWBY did not realize was that Ruby had no intention of speaking to the school's therapist. She did not doubt their capability, but there was someone she trusted way more to open up to about these issues.

Someone who had really put things in perspective for her the last time they had talked. And so, Ruby Rose found her standing in front of Glynda Goodwitch's office. Taking a deep breath, the girl knocked on the door.

"Coming!" She heard Glynda from the other side.

The door opened, revealing the school's resident disciplinarian. However, she had nothing but a warm and friendly smile on her face at the sight of Ruby. "Here for that girl-talk I had promised?" She inquired with a hint of playfulness.

Ruby smiled back. "Yeah," she said, "if you don't mind, that is."

"I promised that my door would be open whenever you needed it, Ruby." Glynda reminded her. "If nothing else, remember that I always keep my promises to students in need."

Ruby followed Glynda into her office. Her eyes widened at the sight of a plate brownies. Glynda noticed Ruby's gaze and chuckled. "You can take one." She said. "The rest are for Hansel."

"They are?" Ruby asked in surprise.

"He's been working so hard lately, preparing for the trip tomorrow." Glynda pointed out. "I thought I'd do something nice for him. To let him know that I'm proud of how much he's taken to this new role of his."

Ruby scooped up the best-looking brownie and immediately wolfed it down. "Whoa," she said in surprise, "this is delicious. It's as good as Professor Kobalt's cookies."

This caught Glynda by surprise. "Oh? You've tried some of Hansel's cooking, huh?"

"Yeah, he wasn't kidding when he said you were an awesome cook." Ruby complimented. "And you taught him how to cook, right?"

Glynda gazed at the single picture on her desk. The one of her and the little boy that looked oddly familiar to Ruby. "He needed an outlet when he wasn't training." She explained. "And while I don't mind his video game hobby, cooking is a lot more constructive. And he took to it pretty quickly...probably because it meant we got to spend time together."

Ruby looked at the picture and finally put two and two together. "That's...Professor Kobalt?"

Glynda nodded. Ruby gazed at the younger Hansel's face. While he seemed somber, she could not help but notice he was also trying hard to smile...most likely for Glynda's sake. "You two look very happy together." She commented.

"Do we?" Glynda smiled at the picture. "I definitely tried to make sure that was the case."

"I...guess I never really put it together how close you really were." Ruby noted. "Judging by that picture...you pretty much raised him, didn't you?"

Glynda nodded. "Professor Ozpin may have trained him...but I did indeed raise him while he was at Beacon."

"And that was after…" Ruby trailed off.

Glynda nodded again, now with a grim expression on her face. "Did you know his family?" Ruby asked.

"Why do you ask?" Glynda inquired.

"Well, I guess I'm still trying to understand how he ended up at Beacon." Ruby admitted. "I haven't dug into the professor's personal life, I promise. It's just…"

"You're curious how a little boy ended up living at a Huntsmen Academy." Glynda finished before sighing. "I guess that's not a problem."

"No, I never knew Hansel's family." Glynda claimed. "From what I understand, the only person who was relatively connected to the Kobalts was Professor Ozpin. And that connection was...well, it's not my place to say."

"I see…" Ruby kept her gaze fixated on the picture, particularly on Hansel.

"You need to understand, Ruby, after the Kobalt name was tarnished, the family began living a rather hermit-like life. We did not even know that the Kobalts had nearly died off until Hansel was left at Beacon in our care." Glynda explained.

"But Professor Ozpin had a connection with them as well, didn't he?"

"He did...but that connection was severed long before Hansel came here." Glynda revealed.

"But enough about that." Glynda said. "As much as I do appreciate your attentiveness and curiosity, a) I wish you showed this level of such in class, and b) this is one subject where it's not my place to go into too much detail, as I explained to you during our previous meeting."

"R-right, sorry." Ruby blushed in embarrassment.

Glynda gave Ruby a gentle smile. "I'm not angry," she promised, "if anything, Ruby, your empathy is a welcome change of pace."

"Now then," Glynda continued, "what did you want to talk about? I believe we've delayed this conversation for long enough."

"Oh, right." Ruby remembered why she was here. "Well, you see, there are two things I'd like to discuss with you."

"Very well, I'm all ears." Glynda nodded.

"The first thing is...I've been having this recurring nightmare." Ruby explained.

"A nightmare?" This was not what Glynda was expecting to hear.

"I'm back at the Vytal Festival." Ruby explained. "But it...everything goes wrong. My friends are all injured...and Cinder kills Pyrrha."

Glynda's eyes widen. "I see," she said, "and what's your second problem?"

"Well, it must seem minor compared to the nightmare...or maybe it's the other way around." Ruby mused. "The thing is...I'm kinda struggling with what to do for my partner."

"Ms. Schnee?"

"Today...she kinda opened up to me about how bad her life at home was. I have to tell you, Professor Goodwitch...I can't believe a parent could treat their own daughter like that."

"Mmm, Jacques Schnee does have a reputation for being...well, a total asshole." Glynda surprised Ruby with her crass response. "And what would you like to get out of this subject?"

"Well, I offered Weiss the chance to stay at Patch for breaks if she ever wanted to get away from her dad." Ruby explained. "I was pretty happy with my solution at first, and she certainly loved it too."

"So what's the problem?"

"Well, now that I've had some time to think about it...I can't help but wonder how much that's going to help." Ruby admitted. "I mean, Weiss will have a great time at our place...but then she's eventually going to have to go back to Atlas, or face her dad in some way. I just don't know how to help her, compared to someone being attacked by the Grimm."

"It must make you feel useless, huh?" Glynda immediately caught on. "You strive to be a hero, and you can't seem to come up with a solution that will save Ms. Schnee from this problem of hers."

Ruby fell silent before nodding. Glynda then gave Ruby a gentle smile. "Well, the good news is, I think the source of both your problems are the same thing."

"Really?" Ruby was surprised to hear that.

"Dreams are still something of a mystery, Ruby. But what we do know is that they occur as a result of high brain activity during what is known as the REM stage of sleep." Glynda explained. "Therefore, it can be inferred that dreams are something of a mental construct."

"A mental...construct?"

"In your case, it appears you're mind is constantly playing back the attack on the Vytal Festival, but not just the attack itself, but an alternate version where Cinder's forces were successful...and your friends either wounded or killed."

"But...why would my mind focus on that?" Ruby wondered.

"The same reason why you offered Ms. Schnee a place in your home." Glynda revealed with a smile. "Because your heart is kind."

"I...don't understand." Ruby admitted.

"Ruby," Glynda explained, "the heart and the mind are more closely connected than you realize. Think of it this way. Because your heart was so concerned about what could have happened to your friends when the Vytal Festival had been attacked, your mind created an alternate reality where your worst nightmare had come true. Your heart is so kind that your mind used that kindness against you."

"...My mind is the bad guy?"

"Well, I wouldn't really simplify it as good and evil. It's more like your mind could very well be trying to prove a point in its own way. Your dream." Glynda explained.

"What do you think my dream is trying to tell me?" Ruby inquired.

"Ruby, your mind may create the story, but what you learn from your dream is all up to you." Glynda explained.

"Okay...then what do you think I should learn from it?"

"Cherish the fact that you have a heart so kind that you dwell on what-if scenarios of what could have been out of concern for your friends." Glynda replied. "But at the same time, recognize that they are indeed just what-ifs and not reality. Cherish the fact that at the end of the day, everyone is alive and well and your nightmare scenario is not real. Your heart can become your own worst enemy if you allow these kinds of nightmares to influence you."

"To conquer this, take control of your reality." Glynda explained. "I'm sure another reason why you're having this nightmare is because deep down, you feel you all got off lucky. So focus your efforts on becoming stronger so that you can protect that which you love. Then you'll have no regrets, and no reason to have nightmares about what could have been."

"That's...great advice, thank you." Ruby smiled before frowning. "But...what does all this have to do with Weiss' problem?"

"That heart of yours." Glynda said with a smile. "This may surprise you, but I was paying attention when you were ranting to Professor Ozpin about how badly you wanted to be a Huntress."

Ruby blushed in embarrassment. "It was so sweet and innocent." Glynda admitted. "And honestly, if I hadn't been so frustrated with you for being so reckless that night, I might've been unable to restrain myself from gushing about it."

"The thing is, Ruby, you don't just want to be a Huntress." Glynda explained. "You want to be a hero."

"Well...yeah." Ruby chuckled.

"And your struggle right now is, you don't know how to save Weiss from this situation she's in. You don't know how to be her hero." Glynda noted.

Ruby somberly nodded. "I mean...it's not like she's being attacked by Grimm." Ruby pointed out. "How do you save someone's life if they're not being attacked by Grimm?"

"Ruby," Glynda frowned, "do you really think that's all there is to saving someone? Just protecting their lives? I expected more from you if you want to be a hero and not a Huntress."

"A hero? Not a Huntress?" Ruby looked at Glynda in confusion.

"Ruby, if all you want to do is save people from Grimm , then that means all you want to be is a Huntress." Glynda explained. "However, it's clear to me from your issue with Weiss that you don't just want to save people from Grimm. You want to save people in general. That means you want to be a hero."

"Okay...still not fully getting it, but how do I do that?" Ruby asked.

Glynda pointed at Ruby's heart. "You already have the answer." She explained. "Ruby, a Huntress' job is to save someone's life. But a hero has to save someone in every way. You can't just protect someone's body from being devoured by the Grimm if you want to be a hero. No, you need to understand that people also need to be saved mentally and emotionally. Not just physically. Think about it, someone you saved from a Grimm would probably still be terrified of the beast and whatever 'friends' it's got. You can't just save their life. You need to do something to put their hearts at ease too."

Ruby looked at Glynda in confusion. "Not just protecting someone's life, but protecting their heart as well. That's what a hero does." Glynda revealed. "You can save someone's life as many times as you want, but if their heart is still in pain for whatever reason, can you really claim you saved them? Of course you can't. So you need to save someone's heart as well."

Glynda gave Ruby a gentle smile. "The fact that you're trying to heal Weiss' heart the way you are, means you're striving to be her hero by saving her in every way."

"So then...being a hero means…"

"Not just striving to be a strong warrior." Glynda explained. "But striving to be a great person as well. It takes a strong body to be a Huntress. But it takes a kind heart to be a hero."

"My heart...so that's what you meant when you said my two problems were related." Ruby realized.

Glynda nodded. "I...I'm starting to get it." Ruby smiled. "Yeah, that makes so much sense!"

Glynda nodded again. "Did you read as a child, Ruby?"

"Of course," Ruby nodded eagerly, "Yang read to me. And then after I learned to read, I got my hands on as many stories about heroes as I could."

"I suggest you revisit those books." Glynda suggested. "You'll be surprised when you find that in every book you read, the most notable personality trait of the hero was not how powerful or courageous they were. Rather, it was how kind they were."

"I think I will." Ruby nodded.

"So tell me now, Ruby." Glynda said to her. "Do you think you've found the answer to your two dilemnas?"

Ruby thought it over. While everything Glynda said did make sense to her...she was still not sure whether she had the answer or not. After all, there was always the possibility that her attempts to help Weiss would fail. Even so…

"I don't think I really do have the answer yet." Ruby admitted. "But...I still want to try. I don't know if any of my attempts will reach Weiss...but I still do want to try. I don't think I'd really accomplish much doing nothing, right?"

Glynda remained silent. "And as for my nightmare...I'll just focus on getting stronger." Ruby smiled in determination. "Then I won't have to rely on luck if something similar happens again."

Ruby rose from her seat and gave Glynda a brief bow. "Thanks for another great talk, Professor Goodwitch, you really are great at putting things in perspective."

Glynda chuckled. "You're very welcome, Ruby. Hearing you using my advice to try and better yourself makes it all worth it."

Ruby excused herself from Glynda's office. The woman could not help but smile at the girl's growth. "She immediately realized it's not a simple fix." She noted. "Perhaps you were right, Professor Ozpin. Maybe she really is something special."

Glynda then took her bowl of brownies, remembering she had a delivery to make. And so, the school's resident disciplinarian quickly made her way to Hansel's office and knocked. "It's Glynda!" She called.

Hansel quickly opened the door and gave Glynda an awkward gaze. "It's...kinda messy in here." He said.

"I'm not cleaning it for you if that's what you're telling me." Glynda responded.

"N-no," he muttered, "I just...don't want you to see it."

Glynda gazed past Hansel and saw his desk cluttered with papers. Hansel sighed. "I've been so damn busy planning for this little trip tomorrow, I've been swamped by schoolwork."

"Well, have no fear, Glynda's special brownies have come to the rescue." Glynda brandished the bowl of brownies.

Hansel gazed at the bowl with a slight hunger in his eyes. Glynda smiled. It truly was a compliment that a big eater like Hansel utterly adored her cooking. "Th-thanks." Hansel said awkwardly, desperately trying to regain his composure.

"You've been working very hard lately, sweetie." Glynda reminded him. "And I just want you to know that I not only see how hard you're working, but I also am incredibly proud of you for it too."

Hansel took the bowl of brownies from Glynda. "So, tomorrow's the big day, huh?" Glynda inquired.

"Yeah," Hansel nodded, "We've got a long flight ahead of us, and then Ironwood's going to show us to wherever we'll be staying...Sunday's going to be a long day."

Glynda's expression fell slightly at the mention of Ironwood. "Hansel," she said, "you know, I don't mind going in your stead. Just give me all the information you have and I can head up this investigation."

"No," Hansel said firmly, "it's gotta be me."

"But why though?" Glynda asked calmly.

"You know why." Hansel muttered.

Glynda frowned. "Young man," she said, "I don't want to see you neglect those girls because of your investigation. Remember, you're also going to help them gain new experiences, not to fully cement yourself as this Ahab-like figure."

Hansel's face fell. Glynda realized she might have spoken a bit harshly. She took her adopted son into a tight embrace. "Sweetie, you know I only say such things because I care about you." She reminded him.

"I know…" Hansel said softly. "It's gotta be me though...I just want to make things right, Glynda."

"I know how you feel." Glynda acknowledged. "But I also can't bear to see you go down a path you can't return from. You mean the world to me, Hansel. Never forget that. Blood or not, you're my son."

"Thank you…" Hansel muttered.

"And since you insist on going," Glynda continued, "I know you promised Ozpin, but you also need to promise me that you'll do your best to get along with James."

Hansel frowned. "What did you ever see in him?" He growled.

"Hansel, for the last time, there was never anything between me and him. I don't know why people always assume there was." Glynda said in exasperation before smiling in amusement. "Don't tell me this problem you have with James is because you thought he was stealing me from you. Such a jealous son I have."

Hansel blushed in embarrassment. "No way!" He denied. "It's nothing like that."

Glynda's eyes widened slightly at how angry Hansel sounded. Realizing she struck a nerve, she immediately backtracked. "I'm sorry, sweetie, was that too far?"

"...It's fine...it's just...it's nothing like that." Hansel claimed.

Glynda gave him a gentle smile. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"No...not now." Hansel shook his head.

"Alright, whenever you're ready, I suppose." Glynda sighed. "But really, Hansel, you need to promise me you'll do your best to get along with James. I know he's going to do his best to act professionally, so the least you can do is the same."

"I...I will." Hansel promised. "I'll do my best for you and the professor."

"That's all I needed to hear." Glynda nodded, satisfied with his response. "Now, don't eat all those brownies in one sitting, young man. You need to be able to sleep well tonight. You have a big day tomorrow."

"Right, bright and early flight out." Hansel acknowledged. "Good night, Glynda."

"Good night, Hansel." Glynda replied.

With that, the door closed. Glynda heaved a sigh. _I meant what I said you know,_ she thought, _I couldn't bear to watch you go down a path of no return._

As Glynda left Hansel's office, proud but concerned for her adopted son, Ruby was reading a comic book about a swordsman who jumps between a human and spirit world and fights evil. Immediately, she took note of how kind the swordsman was beneath his gruff exterior. "Saving someone's life...and also their heart. The key to being a great hero...is being a great person." Ruby mused to herself.

An idea then came to Ruby's head. _Weiss needs her heart saved as well...probably Blake too. Does Professor Kobalt also need it? He...seems to be struggling with things like they are._

Ruby heaved a sigh. _But Professor Goodwitch said not to get involved for his sake...but heroes would just ignore that and do what's right, wouldn't they?_

With this little dilemma, Ruby came to an extremely frustrating conclusion. _BEING A HERO SOUNDS HARD!_

 **A.N: That moment when you realize you're writing Ruby like a female Izuku Midoriya. I mean, I even drew on Nana Shimura's philosophy for inspiration when writing Glynda's advice. My take on Glynda's probably one of my favorite parts of writing Wild Hunt. It's just great to go beyond the "strict disciplinarian" character and reveal her motherly tendencies. Next, chapter 22.**


	22. Chapter 22: Castle On The Cloud

**A.N: Les Mis references for the win, y'all! I hope enough people actually catch the reference in the title, otherwise that outburst is going to make me look like a lunatic. Whatever, enjoy.**

 **Chapter 22: Castle on the Cloud**

Vale's prisons were like any other prison. Walls with barbed wire at the top. Guards roaming the perimeter in case any inmates tried anything funny. And of course, the most problematic of inmates were placed in solitary confinement. There were a lot of reasons one could be placed in solitary. Reason number one: they are a danger to the general populace, like if they were murderers. Or, reason number two, the other way around: if the general populace were a danger to them.

For example, if an inmate did anything horrible to a child, you can imagine that those who know _will_ show no mercy. It actually reached the point where Vale's prosecution, prison guards, and even ex-convicts actually argue for the death penalty for child murderers and rapists. It is actually a kindness compared to what their fellow inmates will do to them.

And then there is the third kind of convict that is placed in solitary confinement. The kind that's so freaking annoying, that the guards are afraid someone will just kill him for being too damn annoying. At the moment, there was only one man who was placed in solitary confinement for that very reason.

And he was still annoying everyone around him…

"Guard? Oh Guard?!" Roman Torchwick said in a sing-song voice.

The guard groaned. The poor bastard had been the unlucky sap who literally drew the short straw and was stuck with guarding _this_ guy's cell. And yes, that is one hundred percent accurate. Roman Torchwick was so damn irritating, that the guards were resorting to gambling to finding out who would be the poor schmuck who would have to put up with him today. It was the only fair way they could decide on it.

Roman, of course, was well aware of the effect he was having on the prison guards. And he loved it. It made being arrested after all that shit with the Vytal Festival went down almost worth it. Almost. He did still prefer being a free man at the end of the day.

Well, at least Neo was still out there, as far as he knew.

"Hey guard? Guardie?" Roman banged on his cell bars, desperately trying to get the poor sap's attention. "Come on, Bucko, I know you can hear me!"

"Stop banging on your cell, Torchwick." The guard said simply. "You know that's not allowed."

"Ooh, sorry, I forgot." Roman chuckled, moving away from the bars. "This may shock you, but I'm actually not arrested very often. See, I usually get away with this stuff."

The guard remained calm, although he did want to glare at Roman for that statement. He lost a good friend in the attack on the Vytal Festival. And this bastard was one of the people responsible. "Hey, Guard?" Roman asked. "Since we're finally on speaking terms with each other, would you mind explaining something to me?"

The guard remained silent, making Roman pout like a child. "Come on, Guard, I'm bored. Can't you at least answer me one little question? Solitary confinement isn't exactly fun ya now."

"It's not supposed to be."

Roman shrugged. "Well, I think it should. Give me a deck of cards, a dartboard and some nice magazines and I'll never want to break out of here. I'd be a model prisoner forever and ever."

"But seriously though, Guard," Roman continued, "at least be a pal and answer me this. Because I've been curious about it for awhile now. And for some reason, nobody wants to tell me anything."

The guard knew he should not give a guy like Roman the time of day. However, curiosity got the better of him and he spoke up. "Okay, what is it?" He demanded.

Roman grinned. "What's up with all the goons from Anthonio Corleone's mafia being paraded around? The fact you've got this many in lockup makes me think something particularly interesting happened."

That was not the question the guard expected. At that moment, his hate for Roman Torchwick won out. He wanted to use this as an opportunity to break the man's spirit, that the law was winning against crime bosses like him. "Anthonio Corleone is dead." The guard spat. "A huntsman busted a huge operation in Vale that he was overseeing. All those guys you're seeing are what's left of his operation. I've even heard rumors that his entire mafia is starting to fall apart all over Remnant."

Roman's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Anty is dead?" He inquired before grinning. "Well, shit, and here I thought his diet was going to kill him first."

Roman just laughed. "Oh, to be a fly on the wall while his lieutenants try to pick up the pieces. That ain't gonna happen of course. Cut off the head of the snake and the body dies. Anty made himself way too important to his own criminal enterprise. Me, I was always glad my loyal number two could handle things while I was away."

 _And I hope that number two is alright._ Roman admitted inwardly.

"Sure, he was quite the boogeyman, but the problem with being the boogeyman in the underworld is that once you conquer the boogeyman, what comes next? He tried to be more than a man, and now he's a corpse. A perfect ending for a bozo like him."

"You're surprisingly smug for a scumbag in your position." The guard pointed out. "We just won a great victory for law and order. Organized crime has just been dealt a heavy blow."

Roman just laughed at that statement, much to the guard's surprise. "Perhaps you're right, but...would you do me a solid and answer another question for little old me?"

"What is it now?" The guard growled.

Roman then gave the guard a dark gaze. "Has Corleone's 'big client' responded yet?"

"The hell are you talking about?"

"Aww, Guardie, you mean you don't know?" Roman chuckled. "Organized crime may be a crime, but it's still a legit business. 401k's, tax returns and all that jazz. Well, maybe not tax returns, that's how you get tax collectors snooping around your operations."

"And you see, Guardie," Roman continued, "every criminal enterprise has clients. And Anty had a big, big client. I don't know who it is, but as soon as he was hired on, he started doing shit like what I was doing for my clients."

"What's your damn point?" The guard demanded.

"My point Guardie, is a question for you: how long before the client gets pissed their supplier is gone?" Roman smugly inquired. "The thing is, you're in a similar situation with yours truly."

"Think about it, guys like Anty and me, who were supplying bigger bad guys than us with the shit they need? We're the real heroes here." Roman claimed. "We hold back even worse monsters by...feeding them."

"That's bullshit and you know it." The guard snarled, almost losing his temper with Roman. "If you were feeding the monsters you were working for, what happened at the Vytal Festival would have never happened."

"Ugh, it's not like I knew their whole plan was shaking up the world when I signed on." Roman complained. "I learned when they were...well, halfway through putting things into motion. And it's not like you wouldn't have done it if you knew the things I knew, Guardie. The old saying is: 'if you can't beat them, join them.' Of course, I didn't expect them to fail."

"But the thing is, things would've gotten so much worse even earlier had I not been holding them back by acting as their supplier." Roman explained. "Do you really think that crazy bitch who gave the big speech that night would've been as tactful as yours truly? Hell no. Beneath that calm, somewhat seductive demeanor of hers is a total whackjob."

"I mean, hey, don't get the wrong idea, I love teamwork. In fact, I never would've pulled off half my heists without a little help from my friends." Roman remembered Neo once more. "But honestly, I don't want to be part of Cinder's team anymore. More trouble than it's worth at this point."

"And now I'm in jail, with no chance of getting out this time." Roman pointed out. "And Anty's somewhere burning in hell, answering for every single crime he committed in life."

Roman sighed. "We, the suppliers are gone, and now our clients are pissed."

The guard stared at Roman, shocked at everything the man was saying. Roman then raised a single finger into the air and uttered a grim proclamation. "One month," he said, "meh, maybe two if you're lucky. Then you're going to _wish_ we were still around to keep the beasts in check."

Next morning, at the Vale International Airport, a yawning Team RWBY found themselves immediately gaping in disbelief as they stared at a small but luxurious airship. "Talk about traveling in style." Yang muttered.

"I don't mean to brag, but it's my private airship." Ozpin arrived by their side, having come to see the students and his apprentice off. "Courtesy of Vale taxpayer dollars and generous Vale laws regarding headmaster employee benefits, this is a little something I like to use whenever I need to get somewhere quickly."

"I am so going to strive for being headmaster one of these days." Yang immediately responded.

"I don't recommend it, Ms. Xiao Long." Ozpin chuckled. "It's nowhere near as nice as it seems."

"Now, that being said, I hope you four enjoy your flight, and your time at Atlas Academy. And of course, I'm required to tell you four to be on your best behavior as well. After all, you're representing Beacon Academy. While I've been more than willing to bend the rules for you, I can assure you, General Ironwood won't be as accommodating in that sense."

"I'll keep everyone under control, Professor Ozpin." Ruby promised with a salute.

"We're doomed." Weiss and Blake sarcastically muttered.

At that moment, Hansel Kobalt arrived, having been conversing with the pilot. "Okay," he said, "we're looking at about a twelve hour flight. Hence the 6:00 AM departure time."

"Screw you for that, by the way." Yang groaned, letting out a yawn. "A girl needs her beauty sleep, ya know. It's 5:30 AM."

"Just get on the plane." Hansel sighed. It was way too early for this nonsense.

Team RWBY shuffled into Opzin's private airship, one by one. Ozpin then gave Hansel a completely serious gaze. "I know I'm going to sound like I'm badgering you about this," he began, "but please remember to behave yourself as well. We're trying to use this as an opportunity to mend the relationship between Vale and Atlas. That won't happen if you and James are arguing with each other at every opportunity."

"I'll do my best to stay professional as long as he does." Hansel promised.

"Hansel," Ozpin said sternly, "you will stay professional even if he fails to do so. Turn the other cheek."

Hansel grumbled at that, lowering his head. "So what then, you just want me to ignore him if he starts going off on your methods again?"

Ozpin sighed before smiling gently at how loyal Hansel was. "Look at me," he said. Hansel did so. "It truly does warm my heart to have someone as loyal as you by my side, Hansel. I mean that with all of my heart."

"Well...of course I'm loyal." Hansel pointed out before his face fell slightly. His expression sombering. "You've done so much for me...you know that."

Ozpin gazed at Hansel with sympathy, knowing the kind of thoughts that were rushing through his mind at the moment. He had become very familiar with Hansel's thought process for the last eight years. He then gave his apprentice a pat on the shoulder. "And I would do all of those things again, every single time, even if presented an opportunity to change things." He promised.

"S-sir…"

"Hansel, no matter what happens in the future, know that I'm proud of the man you've become. Never believe otherwise." Ozpin told him.

At that moment, Hansel gave Ozpin a genuine smile of contentment and happiness. It was small, but it was there. Ozpin cherished these moments, deep down. He knew he was one of the two people that Hansel would act this vulnerable towards.

"Thank you…" Hansel said softly.

Ozpin then took Hansel into an embrace, surprising the young man. Inside of the airship, Ruby gasped in surprise, having been watching Ozpin and Hansel's conversation from her window.

Ozpin then broke the embrace. "I'm sorry," he said, "I'm sorry that we were never able to make things official."

"But I'm truly proud that you are my apprentice...and my son, regardless of blood ties."

Hansel just nodded, unable to trust himself to say anything else without breaking down further. "Now go and accomplish what you have set out to do." Ozpin told him before adding with a mischievous smile. "But don't forget your four students accompanying you."

Hansel gazed at the airship and saw Ruby peaking through the window. Groaning in defeat, he trudged up the steps into the plane, making Ozpin laugh in amusement. As the doors came up after Hansel, Ozpin's face fell slightly. _I...just didn't want to have any regrets._ He thought.

 _I escaped with my life when the Vytal Festival happened. We all did. But it served as a reminder of just how 'mortal' I am._

 _I wonder...how long before I have to repeat the process once again._

"Okay," Hansel called out to his yawning students, "strap yourselves in and get comfortable. Again, we're looking at a twelve-hour flight…"

Hansel trailed off, seeing that Weiss, Blake and Yang had already fallen asleep in their respective seats. "Of course." He muttered, shaking his head to walk past them, making his way to his own seat.

"You and Professor Ozpin seem close." Hansel froze and looked at Ruby, who had said that to him.

Ruby was giving him an innocent smile. "That's...really nice to see." She said, sounding supportive.

Hansel took one look at Ruby. He almost said something biting to silence her, frustrated at how one of his students had seen him in such a vulnerable state. However, he took a deep breath, remembering his promise to be a better teacher and man for the sake of his students (especially Ruby) and settled on a very simple order.

"Just go to sleep, Rose." Hansel told her.

"I really do think it's nice." Ruby refused to fall silent. "I guess Professor Ozpin's like a father to you, just like Professor Goodwitch is your surrogate mother...right?"

"What did I just say." Hansel groaned.

"Professor...I know you think you're better alone...but I don't think you've ever really been alone." Ruby said without thinking.

Hansel almost snapped at Ruby, but once again barely managed to restrain himself. He simply settled with: "Rose, speak out of turn again and I'm going to add to your detentions on Saturday."

Ruby finally fell silent. Hansel took a seat in the back of the plane. _The more I see him, the more I speak to him...the more I realize just how sad he really is._ Ruby sadly noted.

Hansel relaxed into his chair. He reached into his pocket and took out a few pills before placing them in his mouth. _I can already tell this is going to be a long week. I really hope I don't regret this._ He noted before relaxing into a nap.

Ruby drifted off to sleep as the airship took off into the sky. _I wonder...if my dreams will be more pleasant this time._ She inwardly pleaded.

Darkness overtook Ruby. Hours passed. Suddenly, a pleasant smell assailed her nostrils.

Ruby whined adorably as she stirred awake from the pleasant scents. One by one, the rest of her teammates stirred awake as well. "That smells good." Yang yawned, stretching her arms out. "Is someone cooking something on the plane?"

Team RWBY was then treated to the sight of their trays pulled down in front of them. Someone had done it while they were sleeping. Then, one by one, a single hand placed a bowl of ramen in front of them on their trays. When Ruby got her bowl of ramen, she was treated to the sight of Hansel Kobalt putting down some chopsticks for the ramen. "What?" He asked flatly.

"Did...you make us lunch?" Ruby asked in disbelief.

"How?" Blake wondered.

Hansel gestured to the back of the airship. "There's a little kitchen with some of the basics. A fridge, a microwave, that kinda stuff." He replied. "It's not like we can land the airship and eat at a nice restaurant, and you four need to keep your strength up, so I thought I'd go ahead and make you some lunch."

Hansel gazed at the ramen and heaved a sigh. "What a pain," he lamented, "only having a microwave means I can't really do anything real special for lunch. Instant ramen in a cup doesn't really require much effort. Thankfully, Professor Ozpin had plenty of seasoning and spices for me to add."

Hansel sighed again. "I could make a much better lunch if I just had access to better tools."

Team RWBY took their first bite of their ramen simultaneously. Immediately, all four let out a muffled gasp. It was so good!

Hansel gazed at how happy his students looked. "What?" He said flatly.

Yang and Ruby immediately gazed at Hansel with a wild look in their eyes. "How the hell could you possibly act like this isn't a big deal, this is delicious!" Yang exclaimed.

"You can make better meals than this?" Ruby demanded.

Hansel was taken aback by how happy and excited they were from his lunch. "Calm down." Hansel told them. "I told you, this wasn't a big deal. I can make way better meals than this. And Glynda is a way better cook than I could ever hope to be."

"Now quit your gaping and start eating." Hansel ordered. "Do it, or I'll have you four expelled immediately. Don't you dare waste food in front of me."

"Yes sir." Team RWBY said in unison. "Time to dig in!"

Team RWBY immediately began to chow down on their ramen, each one taking note of the many flavors assailing their taste buds at once. Hansel then leaned against a wall and began eating his own instant ramen he had made for himself. "You know, this _is_ actually pretty good for something I could only microwave." He acknowledged.

"Anyway, now that we've all gotten comfortable, I should tell you, after I woke up from my nap, I did some thinking before you all woke up." Hansel told them.

"Is it about career choices?" Yang asked with her mouth full of ramen. "If that's the case, then yes, I think you should quit being a Huntsman and become a freaking chef!"

Hansel sighed, restraining himself from snapping at Yang for interrupting him. "No, Xiao Long, what I was thinking about has nothing to do with my career choice."

Hansel then gave Team RWBY a completely serious expression. "What I've been thinking about," he began, "is whether I should tell you four why we're really going to Atlas. And I've decided it's best you four know."

Immediately, Blake was suspicious. "The real reason? So you were hiding something from us?"

"You four were on a need-to-know basis, and I've decided that what you need to know has changed." Hansel frowned at Blake for that accusatory glance she was giving him.

"Now, don't get the wrong idea, you four came with me because Professor Ozpin does think you could learn a lot by getting a different school's perspective." Hansel explained. "And overall, we are hoping that this improves relations between Vale and Atlas, considering those relations are at a low right now."

"However, what brought this about was something I came across. Something I decided was best to explain to you four."

"Well, what is it?" Weiss asked curiously.

Hansel gave his students a grim expression. "Awhile back, I had Oobleck investigate the device that was found on Anthonio Corleone's body. The one we discovered had necrotoxin stored inside of it that ended up being injected into his body."

"That weird wristband thing?" Ruby frowned. "Dr. Oobleck was looking into it?"

Hansel nodded. "We have strong reason to believe that the device originated in Atlas, based on the design and the fact that it seems to be some sort of wristband to execute inmates if they step out of line, something that a nation that supports the death penalty like Atlas would design without hesitation. With that logic, they were the only possible suspect for us to consider."

"What was the device doing on Corleone then?" Weiss asked curiously. "I don't remember anything about him being arrested before that night. It would have been big news."

Blake's eyes widened, catching onto what Hansel was trying to say. "Don't tell me…"

Hansel nodded. "We suspect," he revealed, "that an inside man's been stealing Atlas technology, and supplying it to the people who had hired Corleone."

"Whoa," Yang's mouth dropped open before smiling, "investigations into possible traitors smuggling weapons? This is straight out of a spy movie!"

"I wish it was," Hansel sighed, "spy movies are at least entertaining for about two hours. There's nothing enjoyable about this. And this is going to be longer than two hours."

"Sir," Weiss gazed at Hansel, "who exactly was supplying Anthonio Corleone with weapons? You do know, don't you?"

"Do you...plan on telling us?" Ruby asked curiously.

Hansel nodded. "I made up my mind to tell you the whole truth about this operation. That includes giving some insight into what I did before coming to Beacon to teach you all." Hansel revealed. "But what I'm about to tell you remains between us. Don't go running your mouths, posting it on the DustNet, or any other crap like that."

Hansel then gave them all a serious but also quizzical expression. "What do you four know about the terrorist cell called Gray Jackal?"

Blake's eyes went wide as all the color drained from her face. Yang frowned slightly. "Aren't those guys a myth or something?" She asked curiously. "Like that secret society, the Dustinati?"

"No, not a myth." Weiss shook her head. "Just a bunch of fools on the DustNet looking for attention. Every time some awful event happens, some lunatic claimed responsibility in the name of Gray Jackal. From there it just...caught on. There's a forum nowadays that talks about Gray Jackal activities. Every time the site shuts down, it returns under a different url."

Hansel shook his head. "They're neither a myth, nor are they a bunch of crazies on the internet. That was a cover story they themselves began pushing to take the heat off. That was something I found out a while back. Turns out, someone gave the dumb kid who started the whole thing the idea to start claiming attacks in Gray Jackal's name, knowing people on the DustNet would catch on and do the same for attention. I feel bad in a way. That kid had problems, and whoever targeted him knew it and took advantage of it. Didn't help him much in court though."

"Then, they're real." Yang's eyes widened.

Hansel nodded. "And it looks like Belladonna agrees." He noted, gazing at the fear in Blake's eyes.

Blake gulped and nodded. "Awhile back," she revealed, "when Sienna Khan took over as High Leader of the White Fang, a...rumor began circulating that Gray Jackal had approached her for a possible alliance between organizations."

Hansel's eyes widened in slight surprise. That was information even he was not aware of. "Khan turned them down, of course." Blake quickly added. "I know that woman, she wants the Faunus to obtain their equality alone."

"And by violence, too." Hansel pointed out, making Blake's 'bow' droop in shame.

 _Still, this adds to my problems._ Hansel noted inwardly. _If Sienna Khan was in talks with Gray Jackal, I need to look into this._

"Okay, so they're real." Yang noted. "And they're the guys who were working with Corleone?"

"It was more like Corleone was working for them." Hansel corrected. "I don't know why he had that wristband, I'd guess they lied about its use, but make no mistake, he was working for them. Gray Jackal was his 'client'."

"Okay, so where do you fit in all of this, Professor?" Weiss asked curiously.

"It should be obvious," Hansel replied, "for the past year, before I came to Beacon to teach you lot, I was investigating Gray Jackal. I was...concerned about their intentions for Remnant, so I devoted myself to hunting them down and eliminating them."

"Is that why you wanted us to focus on fighting people?" Blake realized.

Hansel nodded grimly. "I told you all that day that you'll find that people, be they human or Faunus, can be far worse than any Grimm. If you've seen what I saw during my investigations into Gray Jackal, you'd agree with me 100%."

"Are they really that bad?" Ruby asked curiously. "What are they even after?"

Hansel sighed. "I'm not sure," he admitted, "whatever their endgame is, they've kept it hidden. If I had to guess, the only records of what they are planning are kept between their leaders. But yeah, these guys are bad news, seriously bad news. Everything they've done so far has been to reshape Remnant, much like any other terrorist cell."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"Terrorists are defined as extremists who use violence in pursuit of their goals, especially political ones." Hansel pointed out. "So far, they've been using Corleone as a proxy to attack the four kingdoms and weaken them. Weapons trafficking for example. And the big one has been using organized crime to destabilize entire regions."

"How?" Weiss asked.

Hansel folded his arms. "I only experienced this once, but during my time investigating Mistral, I came across a settlement that Corleone's mafia had taken control of. They were purposefully taking shipments that were being sent into the capital. From what I could gather, they were planning on doing this to tons of agricultural settlements with the intent on screwing Mistral's supply chains. Thankfully, I managed to put a stop to that. I just hope that with the Don's death, any other operations they had like that fell apart.

"Whoa...you've been waging a one-man-war against an entire terrorist organization?" Yang's mouth dropped open, she then smiled. "That is awesome!"

Hansel sighed. "Not really." He muttered. "If it were awesome, I'd have brought them down by now."

"Whoa, hey, I just realized something else, Yang." Ruby eagerly added. "When we took down Corleone, we dealt a blow to a terrorist organization. We did that! Score one for the good guys!"

Hansel groaned. "You just don't get it." He muttered.

"What's not to get?" Ruby looked at Hansel in worry.

Hansel gave them all a completely serious gaze. "Yeah, it's true that when you four beat Corleone, you dealt a blow to Gray Jackal's operations. Which is exactly why you four better pray to whatever god you believe in that they don't find out about any of you."

At that moment, all four members of Team RWBY went pale. "Didn't think of that, huh?" Hansel deadpanned. "Look, I don't want to scare you guys...actually, a part of me does if it'll get my point across."

"But either way, my point stands." Hansel said. "You four almost painted a massive target on your backs that night. If they find out you four had a hand in ruining one of their big operations, do you really think they're going to let it go just because you're a bunch of students? A bunch of kids?"

"Well, no of course not. I mean, why would they?" Ruby asked.

"Right, you don't think that." Hansel acknowledged. "You know better after everything you've already been through. But that's exactly why you all need to exercise caution now. You got off lucky, but luck doesn't last forever."

"These guys are dangerous. Very dangerous. If you thought Corleone was bad, you haven't seen anything yet." Hansel told them. "If they find out you four got involved in ruining one of their operations, they _will_ kill you."

"For crying out loud, Teach." Yang was nervous now. "The hell are you telling all this to us for?"

"I'm telling you all this so that you won't get in my way again." Hansel explained. "I chose to bear the burden of having this entire organization as my enemy. And let me be clear, it's a burden that none of you can handle right now. I'm being forthcoming with you all this time for your own safety."

"Are they...really that dangerous, Professor?" Ruby asked worriedly. "What about you?"

"Like I said, I chose this path." Hansel reminded her. "And I'm choosing right now to tell you everything so that you'll all stay out of my way and let me do my other job. This is for your own good."

"And...someone from Gray Jackal's in Atlas?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, an inside man." Hansel nodded. "But none of that matters to any of you. I want you four to act like normal students and just focus on learning. Leave Gray Jackal to the guy who has chosen to fight Gray Jackal."

"Are they really that dangerous?" Blake asked curiously.

"Their officers, the Numbers and their superiors, the Rulers, are extremely dangerous." Hansel acknowledged. "If their identities were known, they would most likely be ranked as either Class-S or Class-A threats. I'm talking about the worst of the worst."

"Hold on, there's only ever been one person to ever be ranked Class-S." Weiss pointed out. "The Headless Horseman. And even...that _thing_ was a special case."

"That should give you an idea of how dangerous they actually are." Hansel pointed out. "Now, I don't know all of this for sure. I've just been estimating based on what I've heard in passing and read during my investigations."

"What about you?" Ruby asked, still worried. "Are you strong enough to take on threats that big?"

Hansel hesitated. Truthfully, he would classify his strength as a high B or a low A. Certainly not Class-S. However, he knew that if he worried Ruby in any way, she would interfere with him regardless of what he said.

So, he responded with: "My strength doesn't matter right now." He claimed. "I'm just going to focus on taking their operation apart piece by piece. That will eventually destroy Gray Jackal."

 _And I'll keep getting stronger along the way. Then, when the day comes...I'll be ready…_ Hansel added inwardly.

Blake and Weiss looked sick to their stomachs. Ruby was still looking at Hansel in concern. Yang, however, surprisingly displayed a bit of maturity and chose to end the conversation right then and there. "Thanks for trusting us with all of this, Teach." She said with a smile. "Don't worry, we'll stay out of your way so you can find out who the traitor is."

"That's what I want to hear." Hansel nodded. "Thanks."

Hansel gazed at the cups of ramen, which they had not touched for awhile. "Now go on, get back to eating your lunch before it gets cold." He gently ordered.

Hansel went back to his seat in the back of the airship to finish his lunch. They were now 6 hours from their destination now. That ramen was instant, but it should hold them over until they get to Atlas. They can get something nicer to eat once they're there. As he neared his final bites, Hansel made an attempt to clear his mind of any negativity, knowing he was about to walk into an extremely stressful situation, courtesy of James-freaking-Ironwood. He promised he would be professional, for Ozpin's sake, so he would do his best to live up to that promise.

Do your best, that's all you can do…

Hansel closed his eyes, taking deep, cleansing breaths. Back with Team RWBY, Weiss found herself gazing back at Hansel, her mind now going through a new possibility. "What's up, Weiss?" Ruby asked curiously. "Aren't you going to finish your ramen?"

"Oh? Sorry, Ruby, I was just thinking about something." Weiss promised before quickly going back to her ramen to deflect any suspicion.

 _I never realized that there was a much larger conspiracy involving the Don._ Weiss thought inwardly before paling in concern. _No...could my father have been doing business with Gray Jackal too? If he's willing to do business with Corleone, then he'd be willing to for them as well…_

Weiss briefly glanced back at Hansel, who still seemed to be in some sort of meditative position. _I can't keep this just between me and my team any longer. If anyone needs to hear about this, it's probably him._

 _And...perhaps he'd be willing to give me advice on how to handle this dilemma as well?_ Weiss hoped.

Weiss turned back to her ramen. _But first, I should probably finish this. Professor Kobalt seemed serious when he told us he hated to see wasted food._

Weiss managed to scarf down the rest of her ramen as fast as she could. Glancing at the rest of her team and seeing that they were enjoying their ramen still, Weiss got out of her seat and walked over to her professor. "Umm...Professor Kobalt?" She softly called to him.

Hansel opened his eyes to see Weiss standing in front of him. "What is it, Schnee?" He asked curiously.

"Umm...might I talk to you in private...in the back of the ship?" Weiss requested.

"Private? You sure you don't want your teammates involved in this?" Hansel gazed at Weiss in slight surprise, wondering what she could possibly want to talk about.

"They...kinda already know about what I want to discuss. I would just...like another's opinion on this." Weiss admitted.

Hansel raised an eyebrow, still trying to come to terms with the fact people wanted his opinion on...really anything. Knowing he could not just turn this girl away, Hansel rose from his seat. "Come on, we'll head to the back."

Hansel and Weiss walked to the back of the airship. "So, what's up?" Hansel asked. "This thing you want to talk about, wouldn't Glynda or Professor Ozpin be more suitable? I'm not exactly the kind of person people think of when they think 'advice' ya know."

"I'm sorry, but it has to be you, sir. I feel like I'd just be banging my head against the wall if it were anyone else." Weiss claimed.

Hansel raised an inquisitive eyebrow at that, but ultimately relented. "...Okay, Schnee, what's bugging you? I'll uh...try to listen and offer whatever advice I can."

Weiss nodded and began. "Sir, how much do you know about my family's company since my father, Jacques Schnee, took over?"

Hansel shrugged. "I...don't normally get mixed up in that kind of stuff." He admitted

Weiss sighed. "...I should've expected that." She admitted. "Anyway, I'm sure I project a sort of image of a spoiled little rich girl to you at some point. And I'm sure people like Professor Port had the same impression of me when I started as a student."

Weiss looked away in shame. "But the thing is...I'm actually really concerned. I'm well aware of what my name is associated with nowadays. And I'm well aware it's because of my father and his business practices."

"I've always kept quiet though, because my hope is to become a Huntress who can one day work to fix all that. Huntresses have a lot of respect and influence. If I can gain that as a Huntress...I can maybe one day take the company and fix everything my father broke."

Hansel frowned. "I'm sensing an 'and' a 'but' or a 'yet' in this."

Weiss nodded. "During the Neverland Gorge incident...Don Corleone...he openly bragged about having my father as a business partner, to my face."

Hansel's eyes widened in surprise. "...I see."

 _Is Jacques Schnee connected to Gray Jackal too? No, it must be a separate business partner._

"I knew my father always operated in moral gray areas, trying to twist the law to his benefit, but to actually work with criminals to save a lien…" Weiss trailed off

"What do you plan to do with this knowledge?" Hansel interrupted.

Weiss sighed in frustration. "What _can_ I do? If I go public, he'll just hire his usual team of lawyers, pay off the police, pay off the judge, pay off the lawyers, pay off the jury. He'll pay off someone. Then he'll get off without even a slap on the wrist...and I'll lose the position as heiress I've tried to keep for years for the sake of my goal."

Hansel sighed in realization. "Now I get it. You didn't want to go to any of the other faculty about this because they would just tell you to go to the police...and you know that itself is useless."

Weiss nodded. "But that still doesn't explain why you thought I was a good person to talk to." Hansel noted.

Weiss shuffled, blushing in embarrassment. "Well, don't take this the wrong way, Sir, but I suppose I simply assumed that because of your family, you know what it's like to live with a reviled name attached to you."

Hansel frowned while Weiss winced, realizing she may have said too much. Hansel noticed what he was doing and visibly put in the effort to calm himself down. "Okay...I suppose that is fair." He admitted before getting back on track. "So tell me, Schnee, what do you want me to say about this?"

Weiss' look of frustration worsened. Her brows furrowed. "I honestly don't know Sir. I just...don't know how to continue like this. I know my father needs to be punished if he really is conspiring with criminals in the Schnee Dust Company's name, but I also know that making any move against him will set my own goal back indefinitely, and I can't allow that."

Hansel nodded in understanding. "You feel trapped. You know what you have to do, but the cruel reality of the world we live in is just going to break you if you do it."

Weiss nodded. "...Yes."

Hansel sighed. "Huntsmen walk a very thin line between being right and being lawful. And because of how frustrating that can be, this life...is definitely not for everyone. So tell me, do you still think this life is for you?"

Weiss look of frustration was replaced by one of determination. "I do. My father wasn't the beginning of our family name, and he certainly won't be the end of it."

Hansel nodded in satisfaction. "Then you already have the answer."

Weiss blinked in surprise. "I do?"

Hansel had a stern but encouraging look on his face. "Endure. You have no excuse not to, not when you're still in a better position than most." Hansel bluntly told her

Weiss was confused now. "I am?"

Hansel nodded again. "You've got it rough, Schnee, but trust me when I say this: there are hundreds out there who have it much worse. At the end of the day, you're still the Schnee Heiress, who has access to her family's resources. At the end of the day, as long as you play your cards right, you'll still be the one to inherit the title as head of the family. Even if you feel trapped, you have no right to give up. Not when there are people trapped like you are, who would still trade positions with you any day of the week."

Weiss' eyes widened in realization. "I...suppose I never thought of it that way."

"You keep doing what you're doing." Hansel told her. "You know that you can't let your old man ruin your family's name, and you know that in the world we live in, the only thing people recognize are accomplishments, not always morals. If the world deals you crappy rules, sometimes working to change those rules does more harm than good. Instead, you have to beat the world by playing by their rules. If Jacques Schnee is protected by money and popularity, then you beat him that way."

"So endure." Hansel continued. "Keep getting stronger. Keep racking up achievement after achievement. Become so renowned, that you can beat your old man at his own game. Become so popular that not making you the next head of the Schnee Family would be a worse political move than making you the head."

Hansel then spoke in a tone that actually surprised Weiss. It was gentle and encouraging. "And then, you go and take your family and your company back from him, and free yourself from your own demons."

Weiss gasped, remembering her first meeting with Hansel. "...Because we're only free when we confront our own demons."

Hansel nodded. "And Schnee, don't feel like you have to be guilty for what has happened to your company. The only person responsible is your old man, and whoever's actively going along with what he does." Hansel told her.

Weiss nodded, sincerely touched by Hansel's genuineness. "Th-thank you, Professor."

Weiss began walking back to her seat with a smile. "I'm starting to understand why Ruby stands up for you so much. You really are actually a nice guy. She's definitely quite the judge of character." She noted.

Hansel rolled his eyes at that statement. "Yeah, yeah, don't get too comfortable. I'm still your teacher first. Not your friend."

Weiss chuckled. "I know, as a Schnee I do respect rank, sir. Thank you for offering your advice."

"...No problem, Schnee."

With that heart-to-heart between a girl trapped by the machinations of her father and a harsh but honest professor, the remaining six hours of the flight were quite uneventful.

Then as night fell, Ruby and Yang suddenly pressed their faces against the window, squealing with joy at the magnificent sight of a city in the sky. Blake warily gazed at the floating metropolis. Weiss was unimpressed. She had seen it all before.

"Hey, Professor!" Ruby eagerly called out to Hansel. "This is really the place?"

Hansel gazed out the window at the city before him, steeling himself for what was to come. He heard the pilot announcing their final descent. "Yeah," he said, "that's it."

"That's Atlas."

 **A.N: Finally, we've entered Atlas for the Atlas Investigation Arc. Wild Hunt will be going on break for awhile. We're going to let Volume 7 run its course before resuming.**

 **A lot to unpack here until then. Roman has finally made his first appearance. Hansel is slowly moving into the role of Team Dad/Brother. And some insight into how Gray Jackal operates. Hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter of Wild Hunt for awhile. When we come back after break, the Atlas Investigation Arc will continue.**


	23. Chapter 23: The Boy in the Forest

**A big, big announcement today. It is with great jubilation that after months of editing and proofreading (with help from my good friend and close writing confidant, Ryuzaki 007), that I am pleased to announce that Book I of Age of Heroes, The Hero and the Student will be self-published onto Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing during the month of December. All I have to do now is design a cover and it will all be ready to go. Once it is published, I will post another announcement on each of my major stories to let everyone know.**

 **To everyone who has waited patiently for the longest time, your patience will soon be rewarded. And a big thank you to everyone who has supported me through this, it truly means a lot. If you enjoy my Fanfiction writing, I highly recommend you give my first original work a read, it's my love letter to anime in the form of the fantasy genre. So, let's now commence the next chapter of this tale.**

 **Chapter 23: The Boy in the Forest**

As our heroes fly into Atlas, let us take this moment to turn back the clock eight years to a crucial moment in history. Eight years...the moment where the course of one life changed forever…

He already looked like a dead man walking. His eyes were wide, but dead and soulless. He was lumbering, like a zombie from a movie. His hands and face were covered in blood. Not his blood, but blood all the same.

He did not seem to have any interest in his surroundings. He simply pressed on, walking through the dark forest, far far away from his home. _Can't go back there._ He thought to himself. _Can't go back. I don't wanna…_

He looked so scared, but lacked the energy to scream. His mouth simply remained open, as though a silent scream were coming out constantly. _They're all gone._ He noted. _No one came to help...no one came to stop it all...no one came for me. Why...did this happen to us? Why did all of this happen to me?_

 _Were they right...does the world really hate us that much. Would...no one really cry if we just died?_

Horrifying thoughts for a ten-year-old, but this is the state he has now been driven to. A living embodiment of grief and despair. And we all know what such negative emotions are doomed to attract in the world of Remnant.

Growling rang out around the little boy. He weakly turned his head to see a small pack of Beowolves surrounding him. They all glared at him with those beady red eyes. He knew he should scream for help, scream for his life, scream for something. However, a part of him knew it was useless. No one came to help him when his family was dying after all. Why would someone come to help him now.

And perhaps it was better this way. Nobody really wants him around anyway, right? Maybe death was an escape at this point? Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise? Again, no ten-year-old should be thinking this way, and yet here we are.

The Grimm trudged up to the little boy, growling at him. They seemed ready to pounce and devour him. However, they froze in place, but kept their gazes on him. The largest of the bunch, the leader, gave a single bark, and the Beowolves ran away from him. If the little boy had the strength to muster a look of disbelief, he would have.

 _Do the Grimm not want me either?_ He wondered. _What did I...do wrong? Why does nobody want me?_

Exhaustion finally overtook young the little boy. He collapsed against a nearby tree, tired of walking and of his miserable existence. How long had he even been walking? He never bothered to find out. But it was all over now. He had become so numb to it all, he had not even noticed that his body had reached its limit. As he found himself drifting in and out of consciousness, he found himself making one final plea.

 _Help me...please._ He whimpered inwardly. _Somebody, please help me._

Time passed. Elsewhere, a silver-haired man carrying a walking cane was gazing at the destruction of what had once been a safe haven for a disgraced family. The Kobalt Family's secluded estate that had kept them safe from the judgement of the people of Remnant, was gone, destroyed. Several adult corpses lined up neatly in front of the main building.

Professor Ozpin, for the first time in years, felt sick to his stomach at the sight of what seemed like minor carnage in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps it was because of the frantic plea that brought him here in the first place. _I have to know, Oz. You're the only one I can trust to find the truth._

"Gods," Ozpin muttered, gazing at the bodies, "this wasn't just murder, this was savagery in its purest form. A person did not do this. This was the work of a monster."

Ozpin gazed at the corpses once more. "Multiple adults, one of them the patriarch of the Kobalt Family: Irving Kobalt. However, no children." Ozpin's eyes widened as his mind immediately went for the darkest possibility. "Don't tell me…"

Ozpin trailed off, the thought too horrible to even consider. Then, his senses picked up something. The trail of a particular lifeform. It was young, but very weak. Ozpin gazed out in the direction of the otherworldly trail that only he could see. "Hope?" He wondered out loud before walking into the woods at a quick pace.

If there was hope to be found in this hellish scenario, then he had to find it, and make sure it was safe.

As Ozpin moved through the woods, following the trail, he could not help but notice how deathly silent it was. No wildlife, not even Grimm. The latter surprised him more. He would think that all of this death, despair, and overall negativity would have attracted them in droves. So why? Why were none of them around?

 _I have more important things to worry about._ Ozpin brushed those thoughts away. _If there is a survivor out there, I have to find them. Even if there are no Grimm in these woods, that does not mean they are safe. They could die of the cold. Of disease. Of starvation. Dehydration. I can't let that happen._

Instinctively, Ozpin began to call out for that lone survivor. "Hello!" He yelled. "Is there anyone out here! If you are with me in these woods, please respond!"

Ozpin received no response. Undeterred, he kept calling out for what he hoped was the still-living lone survivor. "I don't wish to hurt you! Please, I only want to help! But I cannot if you don't tell me where you are!"

Still no response. Ozpin was starting to get worried now. Was he following a trail that had already run cold? No, his senses were still picking up a faint life. There was somebody out there, but they were weak. Very weak.

"Whoever you are, please, hold on!" Ozpin told the survivor. "I'm coming to help you!"

Ozpin's pace broke into a run. Never had he felt this frantic before. Ozpin was no stranger to death, but something about this moment compelled him…

Ozpin broke into a clearing and was treated to a sight that made him go pale in horror. There was a giant oak tree with roots that had formed into a miniature cave. And underneath that cave was a little boy of about ten years old, his head lowered.

Briefly, Ozpin once again wondered if the child was dead. He knew he could sense whether he still lived, but instinctively, his mind went to the worst case scenario. Then, much to his relief, he heard the faint sound of breathing. He smiled, also surprised to find his cheeks wet. "He's alive." Ozpin muttered. "He's alive."

Ozpin quickly approached the unconscious child. Suddenly, the boy's eyes shot open at the sound of Ozpin's footsteps. He gazed up at the approaching man and immediately retreated further into the cave-like roots. He whimpered, frightened of Ozpin's sudden approach.

Ozpin gasped, realizing he had approached too quickly and had frightened the child. His expression softened even further when he noticed the little boy's eyes. _He has his mother's eyes._ Ozpin simply noted.

Ozpin then noticed the blood. It had dried up but it was still there. Gods, he was covered in it. His face, his hands, covered in the blood of his own family. _Oh Gods, he must've been right there when it all happened. No wonder..._

Ozpin was cut from his musings at the sound of the little boy whimpering before him. That was right. This was not the time to be caught up in the past. This boy needed him. Ozpin then gave him a gentle smile. "It's alright," he promised, "I'm not going to hurt you. Just the opposite, I want to help you."

The little boy refused to move from his spot. Ozpin noticed that he was gazing at the cane. His eyes widened, realizing that he was scaring the boy with his weapon. He quickly transformed it into a more compact state (a little feature only he knew about) and strapped it to his hip. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I didn't mean to scare you. I promise, all I want to do is make sure you're alright."

The boy just stared at Ozpin. Ozpin tried his best to hold his smile, but Gods, did he want to frown in sadness at the boys eyes. _Beneath that fear is emptiness. He looks so dead, so lifeless. Gods, no child should look like that._

"My name is Professor Ozpin," Ozpin introduced himself to the boy, "do you have a name, little one?"

The boy nodded. Ozpin nodded back. "Would you like to tell me it?"

The boy still did not budge from his spot. However, much to Ozpin's relief, his mouth started to move. He heard a few sounds, but nothing like that. "I couldn't catch that." Ozpin told him. "Would you please repeat that, little one?"

"My name is...Hansel." Hansel Kobalt, the future Blue Demon of Remnant responded.

Ozpin smiled widely. "Hansel? That's a wonderful name. Do you have a nickname your friends call you?"

Hansel fell silent. Ozpin cursed his stupidity. _Idiot, the boy's been living in solitude for years._ Ozpin chided himself.

 _And with his family gone, that's the only life he's ever known. Of course he has no friends._ Ozpin could not help but let his mind wander again. _Still...to think I'd be face to face with Holly's youngest...the son she…_

Ozpin broke out of his musings once more. _Focus, you fool._

"Forget that last question, Hansel." Ozpin told him. "You don't have to answer it."

Hansel nodded. Ozpin then held out his arms. "Listen, you can't stay here, you know. This place is dangerous for a boy your age. I can take you away from all of this, if you wish."

Hansel gazed at Ozpin in confusion. Ozpin decided to word it differently. "I'm saying that I'm going to take you where I work. I'd like to give you a new home, if you'd like."

A new home. Those words seemed to create some sort of reaction in Hansel's heart. However…

"Are you sure?" Hansel asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ozpin inquired curiously.

"Nobody wants me." Hansel looked down. "No one came to save me, or my family."

Ozpin's eyes widened. Has the world's hatred for the Kobalt Family reached the point where it affects even the most innocent of the bunch? What a truly unjust world that even children have to suffer for the sins of their ancestors. He sighed, remembering that he had to focus on Hansel's wellbeing. "I'm sorry, Hansel," he said, "life really has thrown several hardships your way. But you don't have to face them alone now. I'm here for you."

Hansel briefly fidgeted, as though he wanted to go to Ozpin, but there was still some hesitation. Ozpin then gave the boy a gentle smile as he reiterated his promise. "Nothing's going to hurt you." He promised. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

A few moments of silence and stiffness. Then, Hansel rose from his spot and slowly moved towards Ozpin. Ozpin slowly opened his arms and as the little boy neared him, he collapsed into Ozpin's embrace. Ozpin then heard the sound of light snoring. He looked down to see that Hansel had fallen asleep _Gods, he must be exhausted._ Ozpin noted.

Ozpin then picked the little boy up. "Alright," he said gently, "let's go home, little one."

Hansel did not know how long he had slept, but by the time he had awoken, he was no longer in the forest he had accepted would be his grave. No, he was in an entirely unfamiliar room.

He looked around, desperately trying to find a familiar part of his surroundings to try and figure out where he was. And deep down, a part of him had hoped that all of this was just a terrifying nightmare and he was still home.

Hansel got out of this new bed and found that he was in fresh clothes. His body had been cleaned. Not a trace of blood remained on his body. How had he stayed asleep through it all?

Hansel would figure that part out later. He needed to know where he was. Hansel nervously walked to a nearby door, immediately thinking it would lead to a way out. He then opened it and was treated to a sight that made him feel...relieved?

It was the smiling, relieved face of the man who found him in the forest.

"You…" Hansel muttered.

"Hello there, Hansel." Ozpin said kindly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm...clean." Hansel noted. "I'm wearing...different clothes too."

"I had someone clean you up with some washcloths, and do some shopping for some fresh clothes. Don't worry, you can run a bath later if you still don't feel clean." Ozpin promised.

"Where...are we?" Hansel asked curiously, taking in new surroundings: a hallway.

"Ah, yes," Ozpin nodded, "welcome to my school, Hansel. This is Beacon Academy. Do you know about the Huntsmen Academies? Do you know about school?"

"...I learned everything at home." Hansel admitted.

 _Homeschooled. I suppose that makes sense. I seriously doubt any school would let a child from the Kobalts in._ Ozpin shuddered angrily at the thought. _Ignorant, blind fools, if they hadn't isolated that family, perhaps this boy wouldn't be in this state._

"Do you know about Huntsmen?" Ozpin asked curiously.

"They're...like superheroes, right?" Hansel asked curiously.

Ozpin smiled. "Do you like superheroes, Hansel?"

"...I hate superheroes." Hansel muttered angrily, making Ozpin flinch. "There's no such thing."

 _He's angry...bitter...and grieving. He has every right to be this way._ Ozpin noted. _Gods, I'm much better dealing with young adults._

Hansel's stomach then growled, making the boy blush in embarrassment. Ozpin breathed a sigh of relief. _Saved by the growling stomach._ He mused.

Ozpin gave little Hansel a small smile. "Looks like someone hasn't eaten in awhile." He noted. "Why don't we go down to the cafeteria? I have someone making a nice meal, just for you."

Hansel nodded and immediately latched onto Ozpin's arm. Ozpin then led the boy down to the cafeteria, thinking back to the conversation he had earlier.

" _Glynda, could you help me?"_

" _Professor, who is that child...oh Gods, is he covered in blood!?"_

" _Nevermind that Glynda, he needs help. I need you to run down to a clothing shop. Grab a change of clothes for him. I'm going to clean the blood off of his body. Once we get him dressed in cleaner clothes, I need you to cook something for him. Use whatever you have in the cafeteria. Do you understand?"_

" _Of...of course, but Ozpin, you owe me an explanation when this is all done. What are you going to do while I'm running these errands?"_

" _...Make some calls."_

Before Ozpin could think back to that, he found himself in the cafeteria. He heard the sounds of cooking in the back, immediately realizing Glynda was hard at work, just as he had asked. She really was a saint, even when she did not fully understand what was going on.

 _Thank you, Glynda._ He thought to himself.

"Why don't we sit down right here, Hansel?" Ozpin suggested with a smile, leading the boy to a table, close to the kitchen. "That way, once the food's done, you won't have to wait too long for it to be brought to you."

Hansel nodded, taking a seat from across Ozpin. Ozpin frowned, realizing that the boy was still not completely comfortable around him. Understandable. Even if he did believe Ozpin wanted to help him, Ozpin was still a stranger.

The doors to the kitchen opened. Out came Glynda Goodwitch, holding a tray of food. It was what was left of their food supply, as the students had gone home the day before. A still-good steak cooked to medium-well and with bearnaise poured on top of it. Strips of bacon were wrapped around it to help it cook better. Some salad adorned the bottom of the steak. And mixed fruits and vegetables surrounded it.

Glynda gazed at the boy in shock, still wondering why he was here. She was immediately drawn to his eyes, much like Ozpin had. _They look so...lifeless. So empty. Gods, what happened to him? No child should look like that._

Ozpin cleared his throat, getting Glynda's attention. Realizing she was gawking, Glynda regained her composure and placed the food in front of Hansel, who simply stared at the food in a mixture of confusion and wonder.

Ozpin smiled kindly at the boy. "Well, eat up, Hansel." Ozpin told him. "Eat as much as you want. It's all for you."

Hansel just stared at the food. He then gazed up at Ozpin in confusion and trepidation. His next words broke the hearts of the two adults before him. "Is this really mine?" He asked. "Can I...really have this?"

Ozpin kept his composure. Glynda turned away, unable to look at the boy without wanting to break down and cry. The world had already taken away so much from Hansel. The idea of it giving anything to him was actually...shocking to him. "Of course," Ozpin promised, "Hansel, this meal was made for you. Meals are made to be enjoyed by the person they are made for. So please, eat and enjoy it."

Hesitantly, Hansel took a fork and a knife in hand and quickly cut a piece of steak with a decent amount of bearnaise sauce adorning it. Some bacon was still attached to the piece. Hansel plopped the piece into his mouth and chewed slowly.

Then, much to the surprise of both Ozpin and Glynda, tears began running down the boy's face. "Hansel?" Ozpin asked in concern as the boy swallowed.

"It's good." Hansel muttered in tears before adding, louder this time. "It's delicious...thank you."

Ozpin smiled and nodded at Glynda, who heaved a sigh of relief. "But...why are you being so nice to me?" Hansel asked curiously.

Ozpin was taken aback by Hansel's inquiry. Glynda, unable to stay in the same room with him, lest she break down and cry from how horribly tragic this child's mind was, quickly made her way out of the cafeteria.

Hansel flinched, thinking he had done something wrong. "Did I...do something wrong? I made her sad, didn't I?"

Ozpin shook his head quickly. "Hansel, it was nothing like that." He promised. "What made Glynda sad was the world around us."

"The world...around us?"

"Life really isn't fair. It's not supposed to be, but by the Gods, is it infuriating." Ozpin said sadly. "To think that an innocent child like yourself has to shoulder such a tragedy alone."

"...Why are you being so nice to me?" Hansel repeated.

"Because helping someone like you shouldn't need a reason." Ozpin told him. "I helped you simply because I wanted to, and that I knew it was the right thing to do."

Hansel fell silent at this. Ozpin then gave him a gentle smile. "Hansel, I meant what I said back in the forest." He told him. "I'm more than willing to take you away from all of this. Would you like to live here? Just say the word, and Beacon Academy will become your new home."

Hansel looked at Ozpin surprise. "You would do that?" He asked, wanting to make sure it was not just some cruel, sick joke.

Ozpin smiled and nodded without hesitation. "Of course," he said, "I would never say something like that without meaning it one hundred percent. This could be your new home, Hansel."

Hansel looked down. "It's not like I have anywhere else to go." He bitterly muttered. "Everyone is gone...and the rest of the world doesn't want me around anyway."

Ozpin sighed. "I see," he mused, "do you really think that?"

Hansel nodded. "Everyone hates us...hates me. Almost everyone back home said so."

Ozpin gripped the edge of the table in anger, trying to hide it as best as he could so he did not frighten Hansel. Which sorry excuse for a guardian told a child something so horrible? And why? Regaining his composure, Ozpin gave the boy a kind smile. "Well, unfortunately, some people are just ignorant fools." He said.

Hansel looked at Ozpin in confusion. "And that includes the people who told you that." Ozpin told him, not caring that he was speaking ill of the dead. If his own family really told him such awful things, then he really did not care about protocol at the moment.

"Really?"

"Mmm, I can tell you right now that not everyone hates you, Hansel." Ozpin promised. "For one thing, I like you. You seem like a wonderful young man."

Hansel fell silent, crying once more. "...Can I really stay here?" He whimpered.

"Only if you would like to." Ozpin promised. "And if you do, then absolutely."

Hansel nodded. "I...want to stay." He said. "Please."

Ozpin nodded. "Then welcome to your new home, Hansel. It won't be the most conventional of homes, but I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure you grow up in a happy and healthy environment."

"Thank you…" Hansel muttered.

After that delicious meal and after sending Hansel off to bed, Ozpin found himself confronted by Glynda, who was gazing at him in confusion. "What?" Ozpin inquired, knowing what was to come.

"Sir...I've served you loyally for years." Glynda told him. "But...do you really mean to let a child stay here?"

"I don't see what the issue is, Glynda." Ozpin responded.

"Professor, this isn't an orphanage." Glynda reminded him. "This is an academy for students striving to become Huntsmen. Don't you think he'd be better off placed in foster care?"

Ozpin sighed. "Glynda," he said grimly, "no foster home will accept him. Not after they find out who he is."

Glynda gazed at Ozpin in confusion. "That boy's full name is Hansel Kobalt...as in the cursed family, irrationally hated by all of Remnant." Ozpin revealed.

Glynda's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "I...don't understand." She said, regaining her composure. "Why did you bring him here?"

"Glynda...the Kobalt Estate is a wreck. His family is dead. They were murdered." Ozpin grimly revealed.

Glynda paled. "Oh Gods," she muttered in horror, "I don't understand, why hasn't this been announced?"

"Glynda, they've been living in isolation since their reputation was destroyed." Ozpin reminded her. "Off the grid on Patch Island. The only reason they're ever going to know was that I tipped off Detective McKnight about it."

"Where did you find him?" Glynda asked. "Wait...was that why he was covered in blood?"

"It was his family's." Ozpin admitted. "I found him in the forest. It was like he was trying to get as far away from his home as possible. I don't blame him. In his mind, he probably felt like anywhere was safer."

"Professor, how did you know what happened?"

"A call," Ozpin responded, "from Ichabod."

"Ichabod? We haven't heard from him in years." Glynda noted in surprise.

"According to Ichabod, the murderer confronted him after the deed was done. And so Ichabod reached out to me and told me to check for survivors." Ozpin explained. "And...that was how I came across Hansel."

"Gods," Glynda muttered, "if you hadn't been there, that poor child could've died alone in that forest."

"Do you understand now why I can't just place him in foster care, Glynda?" Ozpin told her. "No foster system will want a member of the cursed family, and no foster family is going to want to take him in. The world hates the Kobalts far too much for something like that. It wouldn't surprise me if a few more...vocal individuals who find out about this proclaim that I should've just killed the boy."

Glynda looked sick to her stomach. "I know people can't forgive the Kobalts for _that_ tragedy, but he's just a boy. He has nothing to do with what happened. How could they even think pushing the blame on him is okay?"

"And that's why he needs to stay here." Ozpin told her. "Glynda, the boy needs love. Not hate from ignorant masses. Not isolation from people who can actually help him. I know it's not conventional, and I know I'm hardly the ideal man to raise a child. But...I can't just leave him be, my conscience simply won't allow it."

Glynda nodded. "I understand, sir." She promised. "When you put it like that, I certainly can't disagree with you."

Ozpin then looked away in embarrassment. "Well, if that's the case." He muttered. "Umm...would you mind acting as the boy's surrogate mother?"

Glynda turned red at this. "I'm not asking you out or anything." Ozpin promised. "I would...never damage our professional relationship like that. It's just...I can't do this alone, Glynda. I hate to sound old fashioned, but I need a woman's touch. The boy's lived without a mother his entire life. Holly Kobalt died giving birth to him."

"Professor, I don't know anything about raising children either." Glynda told him.

"I'm only asking you to consider it. And even if you do not wish to bond with the boy like mother and son, at least help me." Ozpin sounded like he was pleading now. "I'm serious, Glynda, I can't do this alone. I need your help."

"...Why me?" Glynda asked. "You know the reputation I have among my own students. Glynda Goodwitch, actually a Badwitch."

"Well, you don't have to treat the boy like a student." Ozpin reminded her. "Outside of work, Glynda, you are one of the kindest people I know. And if you do this, I know the boy will receive the love of a mother that he needs."

Glynda felt her heartstrings pulled at that statement. To know Ozpin had that much faith in her was heartwarming enough. However, what truly got to her was that Ozpin was right: that boy needed love more than anything.

"Would you please allow me to think about it?" Glynda asked.

"Of course," Ozpin nodded, "take all the time you need. But if Hansel does become comfortable around you, I do suggest you let it happen and just...go with it."

Glynda nodded in understanding. "If that's all, sir, I'm going to go home for the day. I'll...come back tomorrow morning if you need any help."

"Thank you, Glynda."

The next day was a tour through Beacon Academy. Ozpin wanted to familiarize Hansel with his new surroundings so that he would be comfortable moving through the academy alone, if possible.

They had just reached the workout room. "This is where our students go if they want to sneak in some extra training after practice." Ozpin explained. "You will always find the hardest workers here, the ones who truly want to be strong."

"So they train...because they want to be strong?" Hansel was still refusing to move too far from Ozpin.

"That's right." Ozpin smiled, gesturing to the objects throughout the room. "They can lift weights, run on treadmills, or even practice with training weapons."

Ozpin then noticed Hansel's transfixed expression. "Something interest you, Hansel?" Ozpin received no answer.

Ozpin gazed over where Hansel was looking and saw that he was looking at a basket of training swords. "Oh, you're interested in the swords?" Ozpin still received no answer.

Then, much to Ozpin's surprise, Hansel wordlessly began walking towards the basket. He then watched as Hansel picked a sword out of the basket and gazed at it in wonder. Ozpin walked over to Hansel, admittedly concerned with the trance-like state Hansel seemed to be in. Then, he noticed the expression on Hansel's face. It had lit up. His eyes had something of a fire in them. It was like he was alive again.

"Hansel…" he muttered in surprise.

Hansel wordlessly gazed at a nearby training dummy. Then, much to Ozpin's surprise, Hansel gripped the training sword perfectly and dropped into a near-perfect swordsman's stance. He then watched as Hansel let out a yell and ran towards the dummy.

Hansel swung the training sword right at the neck of the training dummy. Ozpin gasped in shock as Hansel took the head of the training dummy off in a single swing. However, the training sword shattered as well. The head of the dummy fell to the ground with a loud crash.

That crash snapped Hansel right out of his trance-like state. He gazed at the broken sword and the broken dummy in shock and horror and screamed in terror. "Oh no!" He yelled. "I broke Professor Ozpin's stuff! I'm bad! Bad! Bad! Bad!"

Ozpin was snapped out of his awestruck state at the sound of Hansel having a mental breakdown. He watched in horror as Hansel curled up into a ball, repeating to himself that he was bad.

"Professor Ozpin?" Came Glynda's voice. "I heard a crash! Is everything alright?"

Glynda came rushing into the training room. She immediately saw the decapitated training dummy and the broken training sword next to Hansel. "Did...he do that?" Glynda asked in shock.

Hansel heard Glynda's words and tried to retreat further into himself, whimpering. "I did something bad," he choking, "awful, worthless, horrible, horrible child. And he's been so nice to me too. That just makes me even worse."

Ozpin knew he had to make this situation right. He slowly approached the sobbing Hansel. Hansel noticed Ozpin approaching him and flinched. "Here it comes." He whimpered. "He's going to tell me how worthless I am…"

"Hansel." Ozpin said to him.

Hansel just whimpered in response. He noticed Ozpin raising his hand and flinched even further. _He's going to hit me. That's never happened. I really did something bad this time._

Then, much to Hansel's shock, all that came was a gentle pat on the head and an affectionate tussling. "Hansel," Ozpin said to him with a proud smile, "do you even realize how amazing that was?"

Hansel looked up at Ozpin in shock. "What?"

"Hansel, you broke a training dummy that's supposed to be used by people far older and more experienced than you. Do you not realize how talented you are?" Ozpin told him. "In all my years, I've never seen such raw strength in someone your age. Imagine how strong you're going to be when you're older."

"You're...not mad." A flicker of hope appeared in Hansel's eyes. "You don't think I'm…"

"Worthless? Awful? Horrible? A bad child?" Ozpin frowned, wondering if this was his family's doing as well. His proud smile then returned. "You are special is what you are. And you really need to know that."

"Special...me?" Hansel looked again at the broken materials next to him.

Ozpin nodded. "Tell me, did you like wielding that sword?" He asked curiously.

Hansel found himself remembering the feeling wielding that training sword brought him. "I...can't really explain it." Hansel admitted. "But...when I picked that sword up...I felt...different."

"Did it make you feel happy?"

"I don't know." Hansel shrugged. "But...I definitely felt different from how I've been feeling. I think...I like how I felt when I had that sword than I do without it."

Ozpin then came to a decision that changed the lives of both of these individuals. "Hansel, would you like to learn how to properly wield a sword?" He asked.

"Wh-what?"

"You would have to learn the ways of a Huntsman, but I think it would be good for you." Ozpin explained. "Training to be a Huntsman, learning to use a sword, it will make you stronger. And because it will make you stronger, it will give you the confidence to grow past all of these horrible feelings you're experiencing. Do you want to be strong, Hansel?"

Hansel nodded. "I...don't want to be weak anymore." Hansel admitted. "I've felt so useless my entire life."

Ozpin nodded in understanding. "This won't be easy." He told him. "I'm going to push you hard if you really do want to be strong. Do you understand?"

Hansel looked up at Ozpin. "And then," Ozpin continued, "you'll be strong. You can overcome all this pain you're feeling."

"You'll...teach me?"

"Will that make you happy?"

Hansel nodded eagerly. "Yes, sir, it would." He replied without hesitation. "I would love to learn from you. It means we get to spend time together, right?"

Ozpin nodded back. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make you a strong Huntsman, Hansel."

Hansel frowned slightly. Ozpin gasped slightly, remembering that Hansel hated Huntsmen right now. Or rather, he hated the idea of heroes in general. He could not help but wonder if he had ruined the whole thing. Hansel then looked up at Ozpin. "Sir, I don't want to be a Huntsman." He admitted. "But...I would like to be like you."

Ozpin gasped in surprise. "I...wanna be just like you, Professor Ozpin." Hansel told him.

Ozpin's face relaxed into a proud smile. He patted Hansel on the head once more. "Hansel, trust me, you don't want to be like me." He told him. "Strive to be your own man, carve your own path. And you'll be great, I just know it."

Ozpin then held his hand up. "Now then, why don't we go shopping for a training sword that can stand up to that strength of yours. You would like to keep using a sword, right?"

Hansel nodded. "Sir, there's a sword back home I'd actually like you to get me, if you don't mind." Hansel nervously told him. "It's...a family treasure that I've always wanted to use."

Ozpin smiled. "Of course, I'll gladly go get it for you. But first, you need to learn how to wield a sword properly. We'll work with training swords until you're ready to use this treasure of yours."

Hansel took Ozpin's hand and was helped to his feet, only for his little ten-year-old legs to give out. "Hansel!" Ozpin yelled out in concern, catching Hansel as he fell.

"I'm...sorry sir, I guess my illness is acting up."

"Illness?" Ozpin asked in confusion.

Hansel nodded. "I've been sick for as long as I can remember." He explained. "Dad always said I couldn't play for too long. Said the...exertion would take too much out of me. I guess swinging that sword took away all my energy."

Ozpin frowned. _Strange, I detected no sign of an illness when I found him. Perhaps I'll play along for the time being until I can figure out the truth behind that._

"Well, your body just probably isn't used to the stress just yet." Ozpin explained. "Those sudden movements were probably a shock to the system. But you know, if we work hard enough, I think you can beat this illness of yours."

"Really?" Hansel gazed at Ozpin in surprise. "But...they always said I'd have it forever."

"Hansel, did you know that there have been stories of people who've overcome their illnesses by embracing what is known as a 'strenuous lifestyle?'"

"What's that?" Hansel asked inquisitively.

"Well, it basically means working hard to overcome hardships. In this case, embracing a life of exercise and hard work can make your body strong to the point where your illness will never bother you again."

"We'll have to take it slow, of course. It seems your family kept you quite sheltered. But I'm sure embracing the 'strenuous lifestyle' will do wonders for you." Ozpin promised.

"I'll do it if you think it'll work, sir." Hansel promised.

"Well then, why don't you rest up for the rest of the day?" Ozpin suggested. "I'll go shopping for a training weapon that won't break from that wonderful strength of yours."

Hansel nodded eagerly. "You're going to be great, Hansel," Ozpin wondered, "just work hard, and you'll become the man you're meant to be."

"I'll be fine as long as you're with me, Professor." Hansel responded, making Ozpin's heart melt at such childlike innocence.

Back in the present, Ozpin could not help but dab his eyes at the memories from back then. He was now back at Beacon Academy. "Professor Ozpin?" Ozpin turned to see Glynda Goodwitch walking up to him with a look of concern.

"Oh, sorry you have to see me like this, Glynda." Ozpin chuckled humorlessly. "I was just...thinking."

Ozpin smiled at all the memories. "Can you believe it's been eight years since that day?"

Glynda smiled back. "Hard to believe." She said in agreement. "He's grown so much. I don't think he'll ever fully comprehend how proud I am of the man he's become."

"Same with me." Ozpin added. "I've made so many mistakes in my life, Glynda. But I'd gladly do it all if it meant having that boy in my life."

"I feel the same way." Glynda said softly.

Ozpin thought back to Hansel, who was by now, landing in Atlas. _You're going to do great, Hansel. I know you will._

 _You're my apprentice...and my son, after all._

 **A.N: God it feels great to be back on this. With Volume 7 starting, I thought it was as great a time as any to get back into this. And what better way to get back to this story with a look at the horrible, horrible life of Hansel Kobalt. Remember how Glynda said it was so bad she did not want Hansel to even confront his past? This is just the tip of the iceberg. It's worse. So much worse.**

 **I don't think I can possibly exaggerate this, but Ozpin saved Hansel. It really is no wonder the guy is completely loyal to the professor. Hope everyone enjoyed this emotional roller coaster, because I honestly loved writing it. Personally, I think it's one of my best in a long time.**


	24. Chapter 24: Big Announcement

Hello everyone. This message will most likely be overdue by the time I post this, but all the same, Merry Christmas. Obviously, this is not a chapter. Rather, it is an incredibly exciting announcement that I have been looking forward to sharing with you all.

After years of writing, editing, and rewriting, my very first original novel: **Age of Heroes: The Hero and the Disciple** , has been published onto Amazon's Kindle Store. Book 1 of what I hope to be a long and enjoyable series. It is a YA Fantasy novel that is basically my love letter to all the anime that had inspired me during my teen years.

It is the tale of two young men and their journeys. One, a meek blacksmith's apprentice lacking the confidence to chase his dream of heroism. The other, an eccentric hero who travels the land taking jobs for cheap wages.

The entire process was long, but extremely rewarding. And if you all have been enjoying my fanfiction, I think you will enjoy my first ever published, original work. The first of many, I hope.

You will find it if you search my pen name: Nicholas Drew, in the Kindle Store. For only $7.99, the book is yours, electronically. If you would prefer hard copies though, I'll be working on getting paperbacks printed as well.

It would mean the world to me if you would consider checking out and hopefully buying my book. Also, consider leaving positive reviews as well, via Amazon. Positive reviews help me gain more traction online, but any feedback as to where I can improve can be sent to this account via personal message.

I want to thank everyone for all the support they've given me over the years, whether it was through kind words or encouragement. I doubt I could've persevered without it. And of course, I also must give glory to God. Through Him, I was blessed with such a wonderful talent to use in His honor.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I look forward to seeing you all over at Amazon. Again, that is **Age of Heroes: The Hero and the Disciple, by Nicholas Drew** on the Amazon Kindle Store.


	25. Chapter 25: Welcome to Atlas Academy

**A.N: Happy new year, everyone. Holy smokes, 2020. So first of all, super big announcement for anyone who missed it. Age of Heroes: The Hero and the Disciple, is now available on Amazon's Kindle Store, under my pen name, Nicholas Drew. for $7.99, the book is yours. Once you read, please remember to leave positive reviews to help me gain traction on the site. Anything on where I can improve can be sent via PM as always, as I'm always looking to improve.**

 **Also, I want to make a personal offer to any artists out there. If anyone wants to perhaps draw cover pages for the works I have on this site, or even just fanart of scenes and characters, just PM me and we will discuss the details. I'll of course do my best to advertise the images on my profile and in my chapters when they are done.**

 **It's the New Year folks, so I want to do a few things differently, rather than just stay stagnant.**

 **But enough plugging and offering, let's get started on Chapter 24 of Wild Hunt.**

 **C** **hapter 24: Welcome to Atlas Academy**

As Ozpin's private airship landed on Atlas Academy's runway, Hansel Kobalt gazed out to see a familiar face standing there to greet him. James Ironwood had an unreadable expression on his face as he gazed up at the airship. Hansel heaved a sigh. "Ah damn," he muttered, "and here was me hoping he was on some sort of business trip and I'd get to deal with a proxy."

"Who are you talking about, Professor?" Weiss asked curiously.

"General Ironwood," Hansel muttered, "Damn it, why did I hope for a little bit of luck for once? I got my hopes up for nothing."

"You...don't get along with General Ironwood?" Blake sounded surprised.

"Have you met the guy?" Hansel frowned. "He is absolutely impossible to get along with. Especially after the shit he pulled at the Vytal Festival. His lack of popularity with the people right now is a situation entirely of his own making."

"Sheesh, Teach." Yang frowned. "Usually you've got this amount of vitriol for the bad guys. You can't seriously put the general on their level."

"Just did. And have been for years." Hansel responded simply. "Don't try to talk to me about things you don't understand, Xiao Long. Try working with the guy for years, watching him idiotically act like the big man in charge when he understands nothing, and then have to help clean up the mess _he_ caused by idiotically undermining his own allies. You try that, and then get back to me on how you feel afterwards."

Yang just gave Hansel a deadpan expression. "...All you had to say was the first part of that little rant of yours." She reminded him.

Hansel responded with a deadpan look of his own before he took a deep breath. "Okay," he said, "let's face the music, kiddos."

"Err...so, Professor." Ruby spoke up. "Any advice on how to handle ourselves in this? We're...kinda new to acting like representatives for our school."

Hansel looked over his shoulder at Ruby as he moved to the airship door. "Just don't do anything I would do." Hansel told Team RWBY making them nod in understanding. After all, Hansel was not exactly what you would call the most conventional of men. Especially in social situations. Therefore, not doing what he would do made sense.

Then, Hansel's next statement made them sweatdrop. "But also," he said, "don't do anything I _wouldn't_ do."

Team RWBY looked at Hansel in disbelief. Hansel held two fingers close together. "There's a little gray area that you all work in." He told them.

 _He has to be trolling us._ Yang concluded. _He has to be!_

And with that, Hansel opened up the door to the airship and stepped outside to two lines of soldiers standing at attention to welcome the "delegates" of Beacon Academy. At the very end of these lines was General James Ironwood, standing tall. Flanking him was Specialist Winter Schnee. Weiss had to resist calling out to her older sister.

Ruby, for her part, was admittedly intimidated as she walked with her teammates and teacher through these lines of soldiers. She looked at them all, unable to stop herself from wondering how strong they were compared to her. These were professionals, men and women whose sole job was to serve and protect their kingdom with all their strength. And here she was. Just a student who felt very out of her depth compared to all these people. Perhaps this was what her teachers were talking about when they tried to tell her she still could not hope to compare to them just yet. She still needed to grow.

Ruby yelped as she bumped into the back of Hansel. "S-sorry." Ruby muttered. Hansel ignored her.

Ruby looked past Hansel to see him silently staring down Ironwood, who was staring right back at him in silence. Her eyes widened. She could immediately tell that it was just as her teacher had claimed. He did not like Ironwood. And from the look on Ironwood's face, the feeling was mutual.

Ironwood then cleared his throat. "Hansel." He said gruffly.

Hansel almost called Ironwood by his name, but thankfully remembered his manners and Ozpin's request for him to maintain his professionalism...even if Ironwood did not. " _General_ Ironwood." Hansel replied.

Blake winced at Hansel's tone. Even if Hansel was managing to be professional, he still could not disguise the fact that he hated Ironwood's guts. "Your flight was smooth. That's good." Ironwood noted before looking past Hansel. "And these are the students you've brought for this exchange…"

Ironwood trailed off, recognizing them. A small smile curled on his lips. "Well now," he said, "Team RWBY, it's been awhile, hasn't it."

Ruby smiled happily, forgetting the tension between Ironwood and Hansel. "It has," she said with a wave of her hand, "it's great to see you again, General."

"Likewise," he said, "it's...Ruby, yes? I don't think we've had a chance to talk since your fight with that woman at the CCT during the school dance."

Ruby's eyes widened at that memory, putting two and two together.. "G-general!" She said frantically. "That was her! That was Cinder!"

Hansel facepalmed slightly at Ruby's behavior. Already, she was kinda breaking protocol. Ironwood had raised a curious eyebrow at Ruby's franticness before nodding in understanding. "It looks like we can add breaking and entering to her long list of crimes. It explains a lot, at least." He mused. "Thank you for telling me, Ruby."

"Anyway, now that I think of it, it appears I've met almost every single one of you at different points." Ironwood mused. "Weiss, it's always nice to see you."

"Likewise, General Ironwood." Weiss gave a brief curtsy to the general. She then decided it was appropriate to address her sister. "And Sister, I am happy to see you here as well. I had honestly assumed you would be out on assignment. This is a very happy surprise."

"Do not think you can use this as an excuse to slack off on your studies, Weiss." Winter curtly told her before smiling slightly. "But...it is nice to see you."

"And Yang, I don't think we've spoken since your fight in the singles rounds." Ironwood noted before giving Yang a guilty, somber expression. "I apologize. We let ourselves be tricked by _their_ manipulations and your reputation was ruined as a result. As adults, we have a responsibility to protect the next generation. We failed when we dragged your name through the mud without considering the possibility of this being the enemy's plan."

Yang smiled, grateful for what Ironwood had said to her. "Water under the bridge, General." She said. "I'm just going to take it out on Mercury next time I see him. And I'm going to break his leg for real when that happens."

"Yang…" Blake groaned at Yang's behavior.

Ironwood then looked at Blake. "And now that I think of it, I don't think we've had a chance to introduce ourselves yet. You're Team RWBY's 4th member. I believe your name was...Blake, correct. Blake Belladonna? I only saw you during the festival's team matches."

Blake snapped to attention. "Yes, General." She said, trying to hide how nervous she was in the face of the man who led the army of the most prejudiced of the four kingdoms.

"General," Ironwood's attention was brought to Hansel, "I trust all living arrangements have been worked for this week."

Ironwood nodded. "Yes, Hansel, they have." He promised. "We have a spare dorm room prepared for your students, and Oz and I have reserved you a personal suite at the hotel fifteen minutes out."

Yang's mouth dropped open. "Hotel suite?!" She shrieked indignantly. "Teach, what's this about a hotel suite?"

Hansel was shockingly calm in the face of Yang's accusatory shouting. "Yeah, hotel suite." Hansel nodded. "Professor Ozpin paid for a hotel suite at a nearby hotel."

"No fair! No fair! No fair!" Yang shook with anger. "We've gotta stay in a dorm room and you get to live it up in a freaking hotel suite!"

Ironwood sweat-dropped at Yang throwing a tantrum out in public. Hansel remained calm in the face of Yang's anger. Her eyes were bright red with rage. "It's not like this is a vacation. I'm on duty, Xiao Long." He reminded her.

"If you're on duty, you should be staying at the academy with us!" Yang waved her arms.

"You four are the ones who are supposed to be getting something out of this." Hansel reminded her. "I'm not the one who's supposed to learn at this academy."

"This is unfair!" Yang whined. "This is cruel is what it is! How are we supposed to learn when our professor gets to stay in a suite, living a life of luxury?"

 _Boy, these kids are just great at diplomacy._ Winter deadpanned. _I'm glad Weiss has at least remembered her manners, but I'm a little bothered by the fact she hasn't imparted any of that on her teammates..._

Hansel heaved an irritated sigh and flicked Yang across the forehead, making the blonde brawler yelp in pain. "You're going to learn this week at Atlas because that's a direct order from your professor, otherwise you're sparring with me for a week."

"I will gladly fight for my rights." Yang said with stupid pride.

"Shut it, Xiao Long!" Hansel said sharply.

Yang pouted, making both Blake and Weiss smack her across the head. "That's enough, Yang." The two said in unison.

Ruby chuckled in embarrassment. "Sorry, General Ironwood, sorry Professor. Umm...enjoy your suite, Professor."

"Umm...yes, Specialist Schnee, if you would be so kind as to escort Team RWBY to the dorm rooms?" Ironwood ordered. "Professor Kobalt and I have much to discuss."

Winter sighed. "Girls, please follow me." She ordered. "And no more outbursts, please."

Blake and Weiss both covered Yang's mouth. "Understood, Specialist." Blake nodded.

"Yes, don't worry, Sister." Weiss promised with an awkward smile on her face.

As Blake and Weiss dragged the pouting Yang away, following Specialist Schnee, Ruby gave Ironwood a polite wave goodbye. "It was great to see you again, General." She said kindly. "I hope we get to talk once more."

Ironwood raised a confused eyebrow at her statement as Ruby joined the rest of her team. "Not to burst her bubble, but even if she is technically a diplomat, the chances of us meeting during this week are pretty slim." He muttered.

"You'll get used to her...or maybe not." Hansel sighed. "I think she's just being nice."

"If you don't mind, Hansel, we can have your luggage sent directly to the hotel."

"Just as long as they don't screw with it." Hansel frowned before gesturing to a bag swung over his back. "But I'm keeping my personal bag with me. That's nonnegotiable."

"Hansel, they're professionals, I seriously doubt anyone would deliberately mess with your luggage." Ironwood assured him.

"Anyway," Ironwood changed the subject, "walk with me, let's talk for a bit. I want to discuss just what you're trying to accomplish this week."

Hansel frowned slightly, not looking forward to this talk at all. "Yeah, sure, let's talk."

Ironwood winced at the tone. Then, out of instinct, he found himself responding in a biting tone of his own. "I see that Oz still hasn't taught you manners and diplomacy." Immediately, he regretted that statement.

Hansel scowled, almost responding with anger of his own, only to remember his promise to Ozpin. "Yeah, well," he said, keeping his composure, "people don't really like talking to me anyway. Why would I want to learn how to properly talk to people if that's the case?"

Ironwood heaved a sigh. "Yes...I suppose there is some truth to that statement." He acknowledged, mentally kicking himself for saying something so insensitive.

"Now, Hansel, I'm only telling you this because I want this whole diplomacy trip to succeed just as much as you and Oz do." Ironwood told him. "But, at least try to act a bit more friendly with the rest of the faculty...along with any high ranking officials who stop by at Atlas. For starters, I have a meeting scheduled with Circe Ithaca. If you happen to meet her..."

"I already met her." Hansel cut him off. "She's the aunt of one of my students. You know, Pyrrha Nikos?"

"Oh? I guess I should've expected that." Ironwood nodded. "Now, diplomacy aside, I do believe that you have a second reason for being here at Atlas."

Hansel looked around, noting the presence of many different people as they made their way to Ironwood's office. "If you don't mind," Hansel said, "I'd prefer to avoid talking about _that_ business until we're at your office."

"What?" Ironwood frowned. "Hansel, don't be unreasonable."

"General," Hansel said curtly, "I'm being perfectly reasonable. Now, have you at least planned out the curriculum my students will be following?"

"Oh, of course." Ironwood nodded. "We've fully integrated your team of students in this week's curriculum."

"Meaning?" Hansel asked. "Give me specifics, General. I'm well aware that this school does things differently from Beacon. So, I kinda need specifics."

"Ah, yes of course." Ironwood nodded, pulling out his scroll. "As I've mentioned before, your students will be fully integrated into our training program over the week. That includes a 10k run in the morning before breakfast, intensive physical training in the afternoon, various classes spread throughout the week, such as military history and theory and Dust and Semblance application. I worked very closely with the faculty to create a weeklong schedule that would give the students the most accurate depiction of what a common week at Atlas Academy looks like."

"Good," Hansel nodded, "I expect you to send me a copy of the schedule, so that I can send it to my students in turn."

Ironwood looked at Hansel in slight surprise. "What?" Hansel deadpanned.

"I'm...kind of surprised." Ironwood admitted. "You at least seem to be taking the job seriously."

Hansel rolled his eyes. "Professor Ozpin has faith that I can prove myself to be a decent teacher. So I owe it to him to try at least." People assuming the worst like that just annoyed the crap out of him.

"Ah, yes, Professor Ozpin." Ironwood nodded.

Hansel frowned, catching the tone in Ironwood's voice. _Guess he still hasn't gotten over the shit that went down in the Vytal Festival._ Hansel accurately guessed. _Fucking prick. He's got some nerve acting like this after what he pulled._

The duo then arrived at a single door. "We're here." Ironwood told Hansel before he quickly entered a code on a nine-digit panel. The door opened and both men stepped inside.

Ironwood took a seat at his desk. "Please, sit down." Ironwood calmly ordered.

Hansel frowned. He wanted to tell Ironwood he preferred standing. That way, he was not on this guy's level. How Hansel desperately wanted to just look down on him and demonstrate the fact that as far as 'near-world-ending' mistakes go, he was above Ironwood in that sense. However, Hansel once again remembered his promise and took a seat across from Ironwood.

"Now then," Ironwood said in a business-like tone, "this investigation you are running. This is about the terrorist cell Gray Jackal, isn't it?"

Hansel nodded. Ironwood heaved a sigh. "Okay, well I can't tell my subordinates that. They're not going to cooperate with an investigation about a terrorist organization that is widely regarded as a myth."

"Yeah, well, fighting myths is kind of what we do from the shadows, isn't it?" Hansel reminded Ironwood. "If you and I can accept that the Grimm are being lead by a psychotic witch with a hate boner for humanity, I think we can accept that this so-called myth is also true."

Ironwood sighed. "Yes, I suppose there is some truth to that." He acknowledged. "Hansel, before we continue this, please remember to exercise discretion in discussing Salem."

"Why? Professor Ozpin is fine with discussing Salem freely when any of us are in private like this." Hansel pointed out.

"Yes, well, you never know who could be listening in." Ironwood's mechanical fist clenched from instinct.

Hansel rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, you haven't made any headway into finding out how Cinder's cronies hacked into your mechs?" He noted. "And you're worried she got to someone who currently resides in Atlas."

 _He's going to hate what I'm about to tell him if that's the case._

Ironwood sighed but did not respond, telling Hansel exactly what he needed to know in that regard. Ironwood then spoke up on a different subject. "Just tell me now, Hansel." Ironwood ordered. "What is it about Gray Jackal that has brought you to Atlas? What is it that Oz has kept me in the dark about this time?"

Hansel narrowed his eyes. He knew that last query was a jab at the professor. He then reached into his personal bag. "What can you tell me about _this_?" He asked, taking out the wristband that had killed Anthonio Corleone and slamming it onto Ironwood's desk.

Ironwood took one look at the wristband and immediately paled in horror. He looked at Hansel in shock. "Where did you get this?" He demanded.

"I found it, on Anthonio Corleone's person." Hansel leaned in, glaring at Ironwood. "Imagine my surprise when a freaking wristband had stored up a necrotoxin that was injected into the fat bastard. Then, when I had Oobleck run some tests on it, he matched the designs of this tech with the Kingdom of Atlas, which is strange because I don't think there's been any news about new fashion items that can actually kill you as well."

"Hansel, I-" Ironwood began.

"No, I don't want to hear any excuses." Hansel slammed his fist on Ironwood's desk. "What I want from you is the truth. What is this, and how did it end up on Corleone?"

Ironwood took a look at the wristband, then at Hansel's angry face. He heaved a sigh. "Well, Barty was right, this is Atlas tech." He admitted. "Well, more specifically, it would've been, had we demoed it to the public. Unfortunately, the prototype was stolen, and fearing the backlash that would come if this was found on an innocent person, we decided to scrap the project and deny that it ever existed."

Ironwood chuckled bitterly. "I guess I should be glad." He mused. "I always knew it was one day going to get some poor schmuck killed. At least it ended up being a monster like Anthonio Corleone."

"Why was this designed?" Hansel demanded.

"It was meant to serve as a deterrent for prison breaks." Ironwood explained. "Off the record, it was a last-resort-option to make Salem's operatives to speak on the off-chance we catch one."

" _If_ you ever catch one." Hansel muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Last I recall, both Cinder Fall and Adam Taurus escaped from your grasp as well. As far as I'm concerned, we're in the same boat, Hansel." Ironwood frowned at him.

Hansel glared at the general before he heaved a sigh. "Do you have any leads on who stole it?" He asked, staying professional and getting back on track.

Ironwood shook his head. "No," he said, "someone hacked our security monitors, destroying all footage of the hours it could've been stolen."

Hansel folded his arms. "Well, I can at least pinpoint the group in charge of your culprit at least." He admitted. "Gray Jackal. Corleone was doing business with them. And considering this ended up on him, I'm guessing they slapped it on him to avoid loose ends when it became necessary."

"Even if Gray Jackal was responsible for what happened, that still doesn't explain how they managed to get past security without issue." Ironwood pointed out. "Per standard protocol, we've been going out of our way to make sure our secret projects _stay_ secret. No one could've possibly gotten in and out of the storage area unless they were Atlesian Personnel."

"And therein lies the answer to your question." Hansel told Ironwood. "I'm sorry to tell you this, General, but you not only have Salem's operatives on the inside, but you now also have a Gray Jackal agent smuggling technology to them."

Ironwood's eyes widened. "If I had to guess, I'd say this wristband was just a test-run. Whoever the inside-man is already knows I'm here, so they probably won't make any moves just yet. I don't think I need to tell you this, but eventually, they're going to move onto bigger things. General, your 'vault of secret projects' is being used to supply Gray Jackal weapons nobody knows how to fight against."

"No…" Ironwood muttered.

Hansel then glared at Ironwood. "I don't think I need to tell you what a colossal fuck-up this is." He growled.

"Excuse me?" Ironwood glared back at Hansel for that accusation.

"It is," Hansel insisted, "do you realize how hard it is going to be for me to investigate this _now_ instead of-oh, I don't know- _a day_ after it originally happened? All because you made the decision to cover this up to avoid 'embarrassment', instead of just communicating with people who would've gladly helped you in this."

"Don't talk about things you don't understand, Hansel." Ironwood snapped in frustration. "You're not burdened with an administrative position like myself and Oz are."

"Maybe not, but from my perspective, you're only making things worse for yourself." Hansel countered.

"Atlas cannot take another scandal!" Ironwood yelled. "After everything from the Vytal Festival…"

"Another situation of your own making, by the way." Hansel interrupted.

"Like you're one to talk!" Ironwood shot back. "You weren't even around until Salem's allies made their move! You have no right to criticize me when I actually tried to do something ahead of time!"

"Yeah, great job by the way." Hansel was on a roll now as he responded with biting sarcasm. "You deployed a test-run for synthetic aura users with perfect human appearances, which could easily be taken as Atlas attempting to infiltrate other kingdoms, by the way. You brought an almost-entirely mechanical army that could be hacked into with the right amount of skill. And, as I'm sure the professor warned you about, your entire army made everyone nervous as hell!"

"The Atlesian Army is a symbol of strength, security and peace." Ironwood insisted.

"Try telling that to the civilians who got shot at by Atlesian mechs!" Hansel yelled. "Try telling that to the people who had to watch as all those airships get taken out by good hacking and an army of Grimm! There are a lot of reasons not to trust you, Ironwood, but do you know what I think? The biggest reason why you shouldn't be trusted is that you just. Don't. Get it!"

"I don't get it?!" Ironwood was now really close to blowing a gasket. "It's your foster father who doesn't get it! I was forced to take action because he refused to let me, or any of his allies, in on the whole truth and actually help! You will never understand what it's like to be in a position of power, knowing the things I know, and not be allowed to do anything other than follow _his_ orders."

"For a general, you have no respect for the chain of command." Hansel snarled. "You undermined the professor! If you actually want to be trusted that badly, you need to start giving us a reason to trust you!"

"I undermined Oz because from my perspective, his methods weren't working!" Ironwood insisted. "And I still believe that! If Oz had listened to me from the start-"

"If Professor Ozpin had listened to you, Salem would've been on our doorsteps sooner!" Hansel yelled, shooting out of his chair and silencing Ironwood. "God, do you hear yourself? The Vytal Festival ended the way it did because your army was hacked into! Because instead of being the so-called 'symbol' you wanted it to be, all it did was scare people! And now, not only are you not accepting any semblance of responsibility for what happened, you're circling the wagons and are also making the same damn mistakes by letting the enemy just walk away with your weapons, and leave guys like me to clean up your damn mess!"

Ironwood's head hung low in shame. Deep down he knew it was all true, but his pride would not allow him to admit it. "Covering things up from the world because you're afraid of a damn scandal." Hansel rolled his eyes. "And what then? People start flipping the fuck out, wondering which of the four kingdoms is creating wristbands that just execute people on command? Why not just set up a sign for the Grimm that says: 'Buffet here'? Any one of us would've helped you find the culprit, Ironwood. We would've gladly helped you save yourself from any sort of scandal, because we are still allies and we need each other. But now, I have to play catchup with a traitor who's likely several steps ahead, who's had weeks to cover his tracks."

Ironwood could not argue with that. "And Professor Ozpin leads this group," Hansel took a deep breath before continuing in a calmer, even tone of voice, "because he's the only one of us who understands Salem and how dangerous she is. And take it from someone who's actually bought into his teachings about how dangerous that woman is, Ironwood, your plan was never going to work."

"You don't know that." Ironwood said softly.

"I do, because like the professor, I know that the enemies we fight aren't conventional." Hansel responded. "Your army is still trained to fight people. And believe me, I'm all for that normally. Humans are more monstrous than Grimm in many ways."

"But the fact remains that you deployed this army with the intent to fight people with an army of Grimm at their command." Hansel reminded. "Armies that fight people are trained to win battles and slowly break the morale of their enemy, forcing a complete surrender. But Grimm are different and you know that. They don't lose morale. They don't stop fighting, no matter what. You can't expect to fight and win against monsters the same way you do with people."

"Professor Ozpin is in charge because he understands that, because he doesn't think like a general who sends his army of men to fight other armies of men. He's a man who sends his army to fight monsters." Hansel concluded.

Ironwood was now dead silent. Hansel's eyes widened. He realized at that moment, in a moment of extreme passion, he had broken every promise he had made to Ozpin and Glynda. _Hansel Kobalt, fucking diplomat of the year._ He thought sarcastically.

Hansel sank back into his seat. "I'm sorry." He said softly, shocking Ironwood.

"Excuse me?" Ironwood looked at Hansel in surprise.

"Please don't make me repeat it a second time." Hansel groaned. "I said I was sorry."

Hansel sighed. "I promised the professor and Glynda I wouldn't argue with you and here I am doing just that on day one." He admitted. "I promised I wouldn't do it, even if you started talking harshly about the professor."

"You're right, I don't know what it's like." Hansel acknowledged. "I don't know what it's like to be in charge of an army. I don't know what it's like to have to balance daily politics with a duty like this."

"All I know is what I know. All I have to go by is what I believe is the right decision." Hansel acknowledged.

Ironwood sighed. "I'm sorry too." He admitted, shocked that Hansel was actually apologizing to him of all people. "I know how much Oz means to you. I know that any slight against him is enough to set you off. And I went ahead and said all those things anyway. I didn't mean to provoke you, but I did. Or rather, perhaps I meant to do it because I just don't trust you either, and you know that."

Hansel nodded. He was aware the general personally disliked him. Most people did not like him, so it did not matter much. He did not like the general either, so it especially did not matter. Not like he did himself any favors anyway.

"You are right though, I do need to accept responsibility for what happened. I can point fingers all I want. But it was my army that was hacked into. It was my army that fired on all of those civilians." Ironwood admitted. "And they were there because I ordered them to be. And in spite of all those attempts at undermining him, Oz still wants me in the fold. He still wants me to help against that...monster."

Ironwood took a deep breath. "Hansel, let me ask you something." He said. "Are you confident you can capture our mole in the allotted time?"

"Of course," Hansel nodded, "it'll be tough, but I can do it. There's bound to be a trail I can follow. And that trail should lead us right to who it is."

Hansel nodded. "Alright then," Ironwood said, "Hansel, I promise you, you will have our full cooperation in tracking down the culprit."

"That's all I want." Hansel nodded. "I don't like you, Ironwood, and you don't like me. It's best we accept that's never going to change between us."

Ironwood nodded in complete agreement. "But I also can't do this without your help and resources. So let's just cooperate in this investigation, find our traitor, go our separate ways, and go back to not being on speaking terms." Hansel gave a small smirk.

Ironwood chuckled before smirking back. "Fine by me." He said, holding out his non-mechanical hand.

Hansel gazed at the hand before taking it and giving the Atlesian general a firm handshake. "I still hate you, for the record." Hansel quickly added.

"The feeling's mutual, Professor Kobalt." Ironwood replied. "Though I can assure you, it's nothing personal."

"And with me, it's one hundred percent personal." Hansel freely admitted before dismissing himself from Ironwood's office.

However, before he left, Ironwood said one last thing to him. "Hansel, for whatever it's worth, I am sorry that things turned out the way they did. But I am a general of Atlas first and foremost."

Hansel could not resist countering that. "General, or politician?" And then, he was gone.

Ironwood sank deep into his chair upon Hansel's exit. "Gods, a mole from the Queen's forces...and a mole from Gray Jackal as well? What has happened to Atlas? Have we really become so careless that our foes were able to infiltrate our ranks so easily? Or is this an omen of a dark future for all of Remnant?"

Ironwood then thought back to Hansel's final words. "General or politician, huh?" He muttered, smiling bitterly. "I can't deny I haven't been wondering that myself."

Meanwhile, Winter Schnee continued leading Team RWBY to their dorm for the week. Team RWBY looked around, taking note of how...dreary Atlas Academy seemed compared to Beacon. Beacon was colorful and almost mystical. But Atlas sometimes looked like a prison with its dreary color choice. Gray, silver, black, dark blue, all so dreary.

Ruby Rose, however, tried her best to make conversation, wanting to befriend her bestie's big sister. "So...you're Weiss' big sister? It's very nice to meet you."

Winter nodded curtly. "And you're Ruby Rose, Weiss' superior." She said simply, not trusting herself to say anything else.

Winter had serious doubts about Ruby's leadership capabilities and her overall status. Sisters do seem to think alike…

"Last time I saw you," Ruby continued, "my Uncle Qrow was kicking your butt."

Weiss and Blake face-palmed at Ruby's statement. Yang snickered. Winter grimaced at the mentioning of Qrow Branwen. "That fight was a draw." She muttered under her breath. Yeah, she definitely had plenty of doubts towards Ruby after that.

"So, Winter," Weiss quickly changed the subject, "How have you been? We haven't seen or spoken with each other since the Vytal Festival."

"I apologize for that." Winter responded. "Unfortunately, after what happened, I needed to aid the general in damage control and investigating the culprits behind the attack."

"Any luck?" Blake inquired.

"That is classified." Winter responded. "Try to remember your place as students here."

"While we're on the subject," Winter continued, "allow me to offer you a free education on how to conduct yourselves the week you are here at Atlas."

"That's very generous of you, Winter." Weiss responded on behalf of Team RWBY.

"First, has your professor given you any advice on the matter?"

Team RWBY sweat-dropped in unison, remembering Hansel's advice. "He said...not to do anything he would do and what he wouldn't do." Blake admitted.

Winter rolled her eyes at such an idiotic response. "Does Professor Ozpin just attract oddities?" She muttered before sighing. "I...suppose that is decent advice from someone like him. I'm sure Hansel Kobalt is a splendid Huntsman with plenty of knowledge and experience to offer. Yet, considering his reputation, outright emulating him is a foolish idea."

"I'm afraid he's completely ignored what else needs to be considered in order to be proper diplomats. There is etiquette that needs to be considered."

"With that in mind, please keep everything I'm about to tell you in mind." Winter told them. "For starters, Atlas Academy begins its day at 6:00 AM sharp. No exceptions. If you are late, you will be punished."

"Professor Kobalt has already begun to educate us on 'military time' as he puts it." Blake acknowledged.

"Good, keep that in mind and you can at least hope to start off the day well." Winter informed them. "Second, you will reply to your instructors with either 'yes ma'am' or 'yes sir'. Any other response will be construed as disrespectful and you will be punished as a result."

"Third, you will treat the Atlesian student body with respect. You can only hope to obtain cooperation through mutual respect." Winter explained. "We practice discipline and respect at Atlas Academy and expect you to fall in line with our culture."

"Yeesh, talk about uptight." Yang muttered.

"Follow those three major rules, and your time at this school will be considered a success." Winter promised. "Please remember that you represent your school as well, so all actions you take reflect on Beacon Academy."

"Thank you for the advice, Sister." Weiss said in her respectful tone.

Winter then stopped in front of a particular room. "Ah, and here's your room." She said. "Standard issued dormroom for Atlas Academy students."

Winter quickly swiped what appeared to be an identification card and the door opened. She then brandished four similar cards. "These will serve as your room keys for the week." She explained. "Do not lose these. We can replace these, but it's an utter pain to do so. As I've mentioned before, any actions reflect on Beacon. And I mean _any_ actions."

Team RWBY stepped forward and gaped when they saw their room. It was totally not as awesome as their room at Beacon at all. It was just a room with four gray walls and a roof with two bunk beds. "This room s-" Yang began before being grabbed by Blake, who frantically slapped a hand over the blonde's mouth.

"It's great, Specialist Schnee, thank you." Blake told her.

"Don't thank me, thank the general if you get the chance to see him again." Winter told them. "But don't count on that happening. He's a very busy man."

"Now then," Winter continued, "I will be taking my leave now, as I am also quite busy."

"But Weiss," Winter's expression softened into a very gentle look, "I'm...very happy to see that you're here and still healthy. Seeing you at Atlas like this...was always a dream of mine."

"That being said," Winter's expression immediately returned to being harsh, "I do expect you to speak with me later this week. I want a full report of your classes, grades, and your interactions with your classmates. I especially want a full report on what and how your combat professor is teaching you."

With that, Winter dismissed herself. Weiss could not help but smile at Winter's behavior. "I really did miss her." She admitted. "It wasn't too long, but Gods I missed her."

Yang finally freed herself from Blake's grip. "She's even more of a hard ass than you are, Weiss." She noted.

Weiss laughed. "That's...just who Winter is. If you have the chance to get to know her this week, you'll see that she's actually a very kind and dedicated person. After all, she joined the military to escape father's control."

Yang then looked around the dorm room. "This is unacceptable though, I hope you three realize that." She said with a pout. "Knowing that Teach is living it up in a hotel suite just pisses me off, too."

"Yang, it's just like Professor Kobalt said, we're here to learn at Atlas, not him. So there's no reason for him to stay at Atlas with us." Blake reminded her. "And besides, it's only for a week. I think you can handle a week of living conditions like these."

Blake took a seat on one of the lower bunks, her expression tense. "You okay, Blake?" Weiss asked curiously.

"Yeah, sorry," Blake's 'bow' was twitching, "I'm just...still a little nervous about being here. Atlas isn't…"

"I know," Weiss heaved a sigh, "I wish I could tell you that there's a sense of professionalism at this academy...but I honestly don't know. I do think that prejudice against the Faunus goes away once they become high-ranking soldiers."

"Really?" Blake asked in surprise.

"Winter has worked with plenty of Faunus, for starters." Weiss explained. "There's apparently a group of specialists called the Ace-Ops that has a strong dog Faunus in their ranks. Atlas may still have a lot of problems, but I think the military has at least made strides in desegregating."

"And that Neon chick from the Vytal Festival seemed pretty upbeat for a Faunus going to a super-prejudiced academy." Yang added. "I'm not saying you don't have a reason to worry, Blake, but I think you need to keep an open mind."

Blake sighed. "I wish I could believe that, but...when I was in the White Fang, I had a friend who tried to blend in at this academy...it didn't go well."

Weiss' face fell. Ruby then got everyone's attention with the sound of a loud whistle being blown. Where she kept that whistle, they had no idea. "Okay, this is an official order from the team leader." She exclaimed. "Everyone turn those frowns upside down!"

"Eh?" WBY said in unison.

"The important thing to remember is that we're all here now." Ruby reminded them. "So we're going to do what we always do, and that's watch each other's backs."

"You're...strangely excited about this." Blake admitted.

"Of course I'm excited!" Ruby grinned. "We're going to spend a week learning from a different school! We can pick up new moves and concepts and get even stronger! I think that's a great thing!"

"Well, at least one of us is stoked about this whole thing." Yang folded her arms before smiling. "Guess that's just another reason why you're the leader, Rubes."

"There is one more thing that bothers me." Blake spoke up again. "Professor Kobalt's other reason for bringing us here. Do you really think he's going to find a mole that works for Gray Jackal?"

"Hard to say." Weiss shrugged. "Then again, the professor does strike me as the tenacious type. If anyone can find a mole, it'd be him."

"The question is though," Weiss continued, "will we follow his orders for once and stay out of this?"

Ruby noticed that question was directed at her and she nodded. "Don't worry," she said, "I have no intention of getting you guys in trouble this time."

"Thank you, Ruby." Weiss heaved a grateful sigh.

"Unless-"

"No! No unless!" Weiss snapped.

Ruby pouted. "Okay, okay, you've made your point." She said. "We'll just act like normal students this week."

"I'd prefer we just acted like normal students in general." Weiss admitted. "This is all just so exhausting."

Weiss' scroll then vibrated. She gasped in surprise when she saw who it was. "It's my sister." She said.

"What does Ice Queen Senior have to say?" Yang asked.

Weiss glared at Yang for that unflattering nickname before looking at Winter's message. "She says Atlas' dining room is still open if we want anything to eat."

"We probably should." Blake sighed. "Last thing I want is for us to be hungry while we're dealing with this Atlesian training regiment."

"Okay then, first Atlas mission!" Ruby cheered. "Eat!"

"...If I find out it's slop you'd expect from the military, I'm actually going to launch myself out the window." Yang groaned.

"Why?" Blake looked at Yang in surprise.

"I can't eat that stuff knowing that Teach is probably gorging himself on some seriously fine dining." Yang groaned.

"Oh my God, let it go, Yang!" Weiss snapped.

As Team RWBY went to enjoy what would hopefully be a nice meal, Hansel Kobalt reached the hotel he would be staying at: The Elysium Hotel, a very famous five-star hotel in the kingdom of Atlas. As he approached the door to the lobby, he was treated to the sight of a man being forced out by two Atlesian cops, flanked by a third.

"Damn you all!" The man screamed. "You fat cats! Wealthy pigs! She will set things right! Just you wait!"

"Oi!" Hansel called out to the third cop. "What's this guy being arrested for?"

"Who wants to know?" The cop demanded.

"A professional Huntsman," Hansel flashed his credentials at the cop.

The cop tensed at the sight of Hansel's name on the identification before responding. "Disturbing the peace and trespassing," he explained, "Forest here has been arrested several times for the past couple months for the same damn thing."

"Any particular reason?" Hansel asked.

"Apparently there's some woman trying to start a grassroots campaign down in Mantle." The cop replied. "Some lady named Robyn Hill. There's going to be an election for a council seat about a year and a half from now, and she's campaigning to claim that vacancy. And if all the reports, advertising, and street chatter are to be believed, Ms. Hill's made her intentions clear about fighting for Mantle's interests and keeping General Ironwood accountable to the people. Whatever the hell that means for those folks."

"Is that so?" Hansel raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Will that be all?" The cop asked. "We need to process this guy."

"Yeah, go right ahead." Hansel responded.

"You!" Forest yelled at Hansel. "You should know the injustice of this! You're a Huntsman, aren't you? You see the value in everyone, regardless of wealth!"

Hansel rolled his eyes and ignored the man's yelling as he walked away. "Hypocrite!" He heard Forest yell at him. "Hypocrite! Hypocrite!"

 _Never waste your time talking to crazies._ Hansel sighed inwardly.

With that, Hansel entered the lobby and made his way to the front desk. The receptionist tensed upon seeing Hansel. Hansel gave the man a deadpan expression at this. "I'm checking in." He said. "I believe I have a reservation given to me through Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood?"

"Oh...yes, of course." The receptionist nodded, quickly moving through his computer. "Yes...you've checked in for seven nights and seven days."

"Sounds about right," Hansel nodded, "so, let's wrap this up real quick, eh?"

 _Because I can tell you clearly don't like that I'm here._ Hansel added inwardly.

"Of course," the receptionist nodded again, typing in a few things real quick before handing a room key to Hansel, "your suite is on the 21st floor. Room 21007."

"Thanks," Hansel nodded.

"Oh and, er...if you don't mind, I'd like to make a request on behalf of the owners of this establishment…" the receptionist trailed off.

"What?" Hansel deadpanned.

"Well...we don't mind your patronage, since this was paid for by Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood," the receptionist explained, "however, please understand that your presence could create a very bad reputation for the Elysium Hotel. So if you could simply either remain in your room or not be in the hotel, and not show yourself in any of the hotel's various amenities, we would very much appreciate it."

Hansel narrowed his eyes slightly. "This is just to maintain a good reputation for our business, Sir." The receptionist assured him. "Surely you can understand the kinds of things that would be said about us if word got out we were serving a member of your family."

Hansel heaved a sigh, calming himself with a deep breath. "Just bring up room service whenever I want it, and we'll call it good." He said, looking over his shoulder to see that a bellhop had the rest of his luggage, delivered by the general's men. "Put it on the card this room was paid under."

"Of course, Sir." The receptionist nodded.

With that, Hansel lead the bellhop to the elevator. The bellhop refused to look Hansel in the eye as they rode up to the 21st floor. In fact, Hansel could tell that the man desperately wanted to say a lot of things to him. The glare he was doing a terrible job at hiding said it all. Hansel could not help but wonder if he was in any way affected by the Tragedy of the Flames.

They were now on the 21st floor. The bellhop now led Hansel to room 21007. "Here you are, _Sir_." The bellhop said through gritted teeth.

Hansel rolled his eyes as he opened the door to his room. The bellhop quickly entered, placed Hansel's luggage at the foot of a king sized bed, and then left. But not before giving the Huntsman a vicious glare. The door slammed, and Hansel was now alone.

Hansel sighed. "Sheesh," he muttered, "guess he didn't want a tip."

Hansel made his way over to the desk that came a part of the room, reached into his personal bag, and pulled out his laptop. He quickly made his way to the currently empty files he had on his assignment. Soon, Ironwood would be sending him everything he had on this thievery case.

Hansel rubbed his temples. "Gonna be a long, busy week." He muttered. "But, this might be the lead I've been looking for."

 _I've been on Gray Jackal's trail for a year now, hunting down criminals who had any sort of ties to them._ Hansel noted to himself. _I've destroyed entire underworlds, hidden research facilities, and yet I still haven't been able to get them._

 _Whoever's doing this is being trusted to directly steal from Atlas. That means, it has to be someone who's at least got some sort of pull or connections with the organization._

 _Failure is not an option here. I will win._

 **A.N: Sometimes I feel bad about how much shit I put Hansel through. Unfortunately though, I'm realizing more and more how he's literally designed to suffer and then grow. But that's what it means to be a major character. You have to design these characters you love, and then put them through hell in order for them to grow.**

 **Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I'll see you all next chapter. Happy New Year!**


	26. Chapter 26: Everyone's a Suspect

**A.N: So, first, a big announcement. Last month, I announced the publishing of my first original novel: Age of Heroes: The Hero and the Disciple, in eBook format. Well, I would also like to announce that for anyone who prefers a hard copy, hard copies are now being offered as well! So, if you've enjoyed my work here, I encourage you to check out my original material as well!**

 **I'll also be changing my pen name on this site to reflect my new status as a published author. From now on, when you're trying to find my profile, keep your eyes peeled for Author Nicholas Drew**

 **And with that, Chapter 25 of Wild Hunt. The Atlas Academy Arc is now in full swing.**

 **Chapter 25: Everyone's A Suspect**

Until he had received Wolf Fang from Ozpin, there was a certain combination of things that terrified Hansel more than anything. He hated being alone and in the dark. Throughout his childhood, he feared that more than anything, especially after his family began locking him in his room and leaving him alone for hours. In his childlike mind, Hansel had believed that in darkness, he was the least safe. In darkness, there was never any real way of knowing just what was out there, waiting to hurt you. Being deliberately placed in those situations made it worse.

Thankfully, his fears had been somewhat alleviated after Ozpin had returned from the Kobalt Family Estate once more with what would become his partner: Wolf Fang. A family heirloom that had constantly been reforged and improved over the years and one of the twin katanas originally wielded by the family's strongest and most famous member: Erik Kobalt, one of the strongest Huntsmen in history.

Forged by arguably two of the greatest weaponsmiths of Remnant, Wilhelm and Ludwig, Wolf Fang has been in the Kobalt Family for generations. Originally wielded only by Erik, it was eventually passed down to the Kobalt who could pass a certain set of tests. For the past hundred years, not a single person had wielded Wolf Fang because not a single person could pass those tests. It may have been why for the past century, the Kobalts had been more focused on weapons development rather than producing fine Huntsmen. However, per tradition, Wolf Fang and its sister blade were constantly reforged and maintained to fit with the times. And now, it was in Hansel's hands, traditions be damned. Besides Glynda and Ozpin, Wolf Fang was probably the only thing that made Hansel feel truly safe in this world he lived in. It actually reached the point where he always had it resting near him while he slept.

Which was why he hated what he was currently experiencing. He was alone in the dark, and Wolf Fang was nowhere in sight.

This was a recurring dream of his. After God knows how many times he had been forced to experience this nightmare, you would think he would be used to it by now. In fact, it frustrated him to no end that he still hated this.

He frantically looked around, wondering where _they_ would come from first. He knew it would not make a difference. He knew he was doomed until he woke up again.

And so, the first voice rang out in the darkness. "Monster!" It was the voice of a woman he knew well. One of his aunts.

"Murderer!" A man's voice now. One of his uncles.

"You're the one who killed her!" One of his older cousins. A brutal bully of a woman who should have grown up years ago, but did not. Honestly, she had no right to have ever put herself on such a pedestal, considering how reviled the Kobalt name is, but she did.

Hansel desperately tried to block out the voices as they began to ring out in greater numbers. _Monster. Murderer. She died because of you. You have no right to be alive._ They were the same statements every time he had this dream. Hansel should have been used to them by now. But he was not. God, he was not, at all.

"Shut up!" Hansel screamed furiously, putting his hands over his ears to desperately try and drown out the sound. "Just shut up already!"

The voices persisted. Suddenly, clear, dark purple outlines of shadowy people appeared from the darkness. They were the sources of those voices. Hansel closed his eyes, desperately trying to force himself awake. Also, he could no longer bear to look at those shadowy demons that continued tormenting him. But it was to no avail, as usual. He just would not wake up. "Stop it." He muttered in an almost gentle tone. A defeated tone. "Stop. I didn't kill her. I didn't. I know she died because of me. Do you really think I don't know that? But I didn't...I didn't…"

"Why are you alive?" A new voice spoke out. A voice very familiar to Hansel.

Hansel's eyes widened in terror. Oh Gods, this part. He hated this part more than anything. He almost dreaded looking up. But he did. His body was no longer listening to him. Standing before him was a far older version of himself. Tall, well-built with black eyes and a thick black beard.

"F-father…" Hansel muttered breathlessly, fearfully.

Irving Kobalt looked down at his son in disapproval. "Why are you alive?" He repeated. "Why'd it have to be you who was left alive? Why did we all have to die, and you were the only one who got to survive?"

"I don't...Father...I don't…" Hansel stammered.

"We all had our hopes and dreams...but now they are unobtainable. But you...you are still alive, even though you shouldn't be." Irving drawled in a dark tone.

"Avenge us." Came his aunt's voice.

"We cannot rest until then...and so, you shall not rest either." Said his uncle.

"Do something useful with your life for once, you failure." The cousin now.

"Please, Hansel, my son, avenge us." Irving said in an almost gentle tone, in spite of how sinister he also sounded.

"I'm trying," Hansel pleaded, "you have to believe me, I'm trying!"

"Avenge us!" All the spirits wailed as they began to converge upon Hansel. "You cannot rest until then! Avenge us! Don't you dare go on living while we remain unavenged!"

"You have no right!"

"It is your responsibility as the only one of us left!"

"AVENGE US!" They all wailed once more.

Hansel yelled in terror as the shadows continued converging on him while Irving simply watched with that dark and impassive look on his face. Then, the shadows stopped. Hansel gasped. God no, he had forgotten about this part as well. This part was a bit more random. Sometimes he woke up before, sometimes he did not.

First, there was that horrible laughter. That laughter that could only come from a dark, demented witch. Then, her voice. Her horrible, horrible voice. "Where are you? Are you here? You can't hide from me forever."

"No…" Hansel moaned in terror.

Then, a statement he had never heard before rang out in the black skies. A statement that made his blood run cold. "You can't hide from me forever...Hansel."

"NO!" Hansel shot up from his bed, drenched in sweat with an uncharacteristically horrified expression on his face.

The infamous Blue Demon of Remnant panted in fear, as though he had been running a marathon. And in a strange way, maybe he was. He took a moment to survey his surroundings and heaved a sigh of relief. He was still in his hotel room. Hansel then growled in frustration. "Damn," he muttered, desperately trying to calm his breathing down, "just another stupid nightmare I can't control."

Hansel then grasped his forehead. "Fuck!" He cursed, feeling the throbbing headache hit him like a train. "My head…"

Hansel rose from his bed, clad only in pajama pants. He walked over to the hotel bathroom. "How long has it been since my last dose?" Hansel wondered before remembering. "Shit, no wonder it's hitting so damn hard this time. I haven't taken these since the flight left."

Hansel quickly reached for a container for headache pills and took two out. He quickly plopped them into his mouth. Instantly, he felt the headache leave him. He then took a moment to survey his expression in the mirror. The look of fear from his nightmare was still painted cleanly on his face. His hair was down from the sweat.

"Gah," he splashed water on his face to wash out the sweat and to clear his head.

Hansel looked up once more to see that fearful expression was still plastered onto him. Then, slowly, the voices from those dreams returned in the form of that hellish chant. _Avenge us. Avenge us. Avenge us. Avenge us. Avenge us. Avenge us._

"I know!" Hansel shouted, desperately trying to make them leave. "I'm working on it!"

Hansel lowered his head. "Father...everyone, please just leave me be. I know what you people want from me. But I can't give it to you. Not yet." He said in a defeated tone.

"Please, just be patient." Hansel's expression darkened. "I'll have that one's head. Just you wait. I'll make sure you're all laid to rest."

"But after that," Hansel's face softened as he took on a shockingly vulnerable expression, "please don't torture me anymore like this...please…"

Hansel left the bathroom and then saw the clock for the first time. "Three in the morning?" He groaned in frustration.

Hansel then found himself thinking back on the nightmare once more, much to his own frustration. He would much rather just forget the whole thing and just go back to sleep. Realizing he could not, he made the conscious decision to clear some space in the room and just get some light training in. "Four hours of sleep is better than none." He acknowledged with a sigh.

By now, Hansel had grown far too used to having his sleep interrupted by this recurring nightmare of his. However, there was one thing from this particular nightmare he was not familiar with. A part of the nightmare he now clearly remembered.

All because it chilled him to the bone. He should not know the woman who held that voice. But somehow, he did, deep down in his heart. "She knows my name." Hansel muttered. "She knows she's in my dreams."

"Salem...she knows…"

In spite of his nightmarish night, however, Hansel's night was nowhere near as bad as two particular individuals. Scott Alabaster, the young heir to the Alabaster Family, was on his way home after a long evening of enjoying one of Atlas' more...seedier establishments. He honestly had no idea what time it was, and he frankly did not care. What was important to him was how he spent his-ahem, his father's-money. And as far as the young Alabaster was concerned, it was money well spent.

Scott drunkenly bumped into someone he would've recognized as his dream girl, his soulmate, on any other night. The person he wanted to see the most. Rather ironic considering where he spent his money. He ignored the girl and continued to stumble about. He then unknowingly stumbled into a dark alley in his inebriated state. And that was when everything went bad.

Scott's eyes widened at the sight before him. He sobered up in seconds. Lying before him was a woman with her throat slashed and her innards ripped from her stomach from what was clearly knife wounds. Now sober, Scott recognized the woman as a prostitute from the establishment he had just been frequenting. Gods, he had purchased an hour alone with this woman before spending some time partying with his friends in one of the party rooms.

"What the fuck?!" Scott yelled before yelling in terror.

A few hours later, as Atlas security cleaned up the crime scene, Ruby Rose found herself waking up surprisingly early. She instinctively found herself looking at her scroll for the time. It was five in the morning. Ruby moaned in slight annoyance at this situation she found herself in. She wanted to go back to sleep, but then she remembered one of Winter's warnings. Atlas Academy days begin at 6, sharp.

So, Ruby decided to be productive with her time. She quickly reached into her pack, took out some notebook paper and wrote a quick message for her sleeping teammates that she would be out training for a bit before the day officially began. Ruby then took a quick shower, noting with relief that the showers were at least decent enough. She quickly dressed in her training gear and slipped out of her room with Crescent Rose at her side. Inwardly, she was hoping that there was no curfew she had to worry about.

"Now, if I were a training ground, where would I be?" Ruby wondered, gazing at her scroll and observing the time. 5:15 AM. She had to be quick about this.

Then, she reached a window and saw what appeared to be a track and field outside. "Ah, that's perfect!" She gleefully exclaimed before running to find a nearby door to go out to the track and field.

She was quickly outside, taking in her surroundings. "So cool!" She squealed, running to the middle of the field. "This school does have some wonderful stuff."

Ruby almost instinctively brought out Crescent Rose to practice with it, but then she remembered her professor. Wordlessly, she put Crescent Rose down and held up both of her arms like a boxer.

"Hiyah!" Ruby let out a kiai as she threw a punch, trying to will her Semblance into only activating for her right arm.

The adorable reaper pouted when she saw her arm not change shape at all. "Phooey," she muttered, "I don't know how the professor does it. His control over his Semblance is amazing."

"Well," Ruby continued, holding up her fists again, "I guess the only thing I can do is keep trying, huh? Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Ruby continued throwing out hooks in front of her, trying to will her Semblance to activate in her arms to increase the speed, and therefore the force, of the punches. Unfortunately, she continued to fail in each punch.

Meanwhile, back at his hotel room at The Elysium, Hansel Kobalt was grunting with exertion as he continued to push himself up and down on one single finger. Sweat dripped from his face and bare chest to the floor while every muscle in use on his upper body bulged out.

"298...299...300…" Hansel counted out.

Ruby continued throwing punch after punch, slowly growing more frustrated. "Seriously, he makes it look so easy." She sighed.

Hansel pushed himself back onto his feet, wiping the sweat from his face. "Ah, damn, I'm still thinking about that dream." He complained. "At this rate, I'm going to start wishing I could just shrug all this off, like Rose does."

Ruby continued to throw more punches, trying to succeed in her latest endeavor. When she finally realized it would not happen today, she heaved a sigh. "Guess it'll be awhile before I can do that." She acknowledged. "Maybe I should talk to the professor about this, he makes mixing his Semblance with punching and kicking look so easy..."

Ruby then remembered something else he had advised her to try. "Ah, right, the kickboxing!" She exclaimed. "Professor Kobalt told me that because I'm going to be spending a lot of my time with Crescent Rose, I should learn to incorporate kicks into my attacks."

At that moment, Ruby finally brought out Crescent Rose. "Sorry, sweetie," she said affectionately to her scythe, weirdly cradling it in her arms like an infant, "Momma didn't mean to leave ya alone for so long."

"Okay," Ruby held up Crescent Rose defensively, "if I'm remembering correctly, Professor Kobalt wanted me to use kickboxing for both offense and defense...like this."

Ruby lifted her leg up and yelled in surprise. She was already stumbling backwards due to the counterweight from Crescent Rose. "Balance! Balance! Balance!" She shrieked repeatedly.

Ruby finally managed to get her balance and tried again. "Hiyah!" She let out the same kiai from before and threw a kick into the air...only to spectacularly lose her balance and fall flat on her back.

Meanwhile, Hansel Kobalt let out an uncharacteristic yell of surprise at the sudden rain of cold water from a showerhead. Bad morning for both I guess…

"Oww…" Ruby moaned in pain. "I am not having good luck with training this morning."

"Hopefully training with the class is better." A familiar voice spoke up.

Ruby yelped and turned to the source. She gasped when she was Winter Schnee standing before her, arms crossed with a look of disapproval on her face. "I cannot believe you're leading my little sister into battle." She said bluntly.

"Oh...hi, Specialist Schnee." Ruby greeted, visibly intimidated by the woman's presence.

 _Holy whoa that stare. It's like Weiss' but like...times a hundred. And...is that her Aura I'm sensing? She might actually be as strong as Professor Kobalt!_

Winter heaved a sigh. "What kind of sloppy training was that, Ms. Rose? It really doesn't look like you've accomplished anything." She bluntly told her. "Shouldn't you be able to do the basics by now?"

"Er...as far as hand to hand goes? No...I've kinda neglected that. Wanted to focus on getting good with Crescent Rose, ya know."

Winter looked at Ruby in disbelief. "Honestly," she sighed, "what do they teach you lot in Vale? We were learning CQC when we were your age."

"CQC?" Ruby looked at Winter in confusion.

"Close Quarters Combat, Ms. Rose. The fact you don't know that is...disturbing. You do realize as team leader you're responsible for your teammates' lives, yes?"

Ruby looked down. "Well, of course I do." She muttered, a bit put off by Winter's attitude.

Winter sighed. "Well, better late than never I suppose." She acknowledged. "If I may, what has prompted this change in attitude?"

"Well, Professor Kobalt's been giving me a lot of great tips on how to mix in hand-to-hand with Crescent Rose." Ruby brightly responded. "I actually landed a pretty good hit on him one time, so I'm definitely seeing the benefits."

Winter raised a curious eyebrow. In truth, she had spent most of last night thinking about how she should feel about her sister being taught by someone so inexperienced, even though she had promised General Ironwood to remain professional around the professional Huntsman and Beacon's student representatives. "I see," she acknowledged, "so, your new combat professor is teaching you useful things."

"Mmm hmm," Ruby remained oblivious to Winter's uncertainty about Hansel, "Professor Kobalt's been pretty tough, but pretty fair. I think everyone gets now that he's hard on us because he wants to see us strong and successful."

"I see," Winter nodded, "he doesn't seem to command too much respect though, considering how much Ms. Xiao Long argues with him."

"Oh, that's just how Yang is." Ruby laughed the matter off. "She loves messing with people. I think that because Professor Kobalt is so close to our age, she feels comfortable doing it with him. She does it because she likes him...er, not like-like, but you know…"

"...I see." Winter nodded once more. "So, would you say he's doing a good job?"

Ruby nodded. "I think he is. I can't speak for everyone else, but I believe in him. He's tough, but he's a good teacher."

"Interesting," Winter nodded, "and here I thought he was doomed from the start, considering his reputation…"

That was when Ruby's obliviousness vanished. "And what's that supposed to mean?" She asked suspiciously.

Winter's eyes widened in slight surprise at the fierce look in Ruby's eyes. _That look, it's the same look I had when protecting Weiss from some of those blasted bullies back in the day._ She noted.

"My apologies, I meant no offense." She assured Ruby. "It's just...I'm sure there were plenty of you who didn't want to accept him, due to the Tragedy of the Flames…"

"Tragedy of the what?" Ruby looked at Winter in confusion.

"You mean...you don't know?" Winter was surprised at this. "Ms. Rose, I really don't think being ignorant about history is a good look for you."

"Oh yeah? And what's so bad about this 'tragedy'?" Ruby asked, half curious, half angry at Winter for pushing the subject.

Winter sighed. "That's...not my place to say." She admitted. "If you really care to know, you should ask your professor about it."

Ruby frowned slightly, remembering her promise to Glynda Goodwitch not to dig too deeply into Hansel's life. She then directed her frown at Winter. "Specialist Schnee, you can't just say awful stuff like that and then not explain anything." She pointed out in a surprisingly sage tone. "That's just…"

"Rude? Unprofessional? Slander, even?" Winter acknowledged with a nod. "You're right, on all accounts, and I apologize for that. I suppose regardless of his family name, the important thing is that Professor Kobalt seems to be teaching things of worth to the students of Beacon Academy and is actually well-liked."

Ruby was silenced by Winter's words. Winter sighed. "You'll get used to hearing stuff like this, the more you hang around with him, Ms. Rose." She explained. "The Kobalts...no, I won't say any more, for you are correct, it is rude and unprofessional of me to do so."

Ruby grumbled. Even if Winter agreed with her, she was still saying all those things about Hansel, and Hansel was not even here to defend himself. Deciding to remain professional, due to her status as a 'diplomat', Ruby changed the subject.

"Why are you here, Specialist Schnee?" She asked.

"This is where I train on a morning basis." Winter explained. "I like to come to the wide open spaces here to practice my summoning."

"Summoning?" Ruby was confused until she remembered a particular event from the Neverland Gorge. "Oh, you mean like what Weiss does?"

"Oh? Is my little sister starting to show signs of that ability?" Winter sounded more interested now.

"Yeah," Ruby nodded, "though, she hasn't been able to since...well, the Neverland Gorge."

"Neverland Gorge? What were you all doing there?" Winter raised an eyebrow.

"Er...well, we were on a training exercise, but it turns out Professor Kobalt was also after Anthonio Corleone." Ruby admitted.

This piqued Winter's interest as memories from her early career came back. "I...see…" she said, maintaining her composure. Instinctively, she looked at her scroll. "Ah, it's 5:55, I can imagine other students will be arriving soon for morning workouts. Impressive foresight to pick this place for your workouts, Ms. Rose."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ruby bowed in apology, "I took up all your morning training time."

"It's fine, Ms. Rose. Speaking with you like this _was_ a surprise, but it was a welcome one." Winter admitted. "It gave me the opportunity to get to know the girl who's commanding my little sister."

"Heh, well, I'm just the strategist." Ruby said sheepishly. "I don't really do much commanding. Weiss and the others are more than capable of figuring out the right thing to do on their own."

"You have a lot of faith in your teammates." Winter noted.

"Well of course, they're my friends too." Ruby pointed out.

Winter shook her head. "I'm sure you know this, by now, Ms. Rose," she began, "but as their leader, you do have a responsibility to stand above your teammates, even if they are your friends. Be a presence they can rally behind."

"Of course," Ruby nodded, "Professor Ozpin said as much."

"Even if you don't wish to be a commanding presence, like a general, you still need to be above your teammates, to act as a paragon and an example in strength."

Paragon. That word reminded Ruby of the warning Hansel had given her back in the Neverland Gorge. "In other words, keep working to better yourself as a Huntress and as a person." Winter concluded. "Lead by example so that your teammates fall in line."

"Well, I mean, I'm out here training, aren't I?" Ruby reminded her.

Winter gave Ruby a small smirk. "Next time," she said, "bring your teammates along for training."

Ruby laughed nervously. "You don't know my team," she said, "one time, I tried to get everyone up so that we could line up for the early release of a new game and Blake hissed at me."

Winter was now confused. "She hissed at you? Like...a snake? Or a cat?"

"Y-yeah!" Ruby nervously laughed, realizing she might have given Winter a big hint. "Because she's not a morning person. Obviously not because she's an animal or anything."

 _So she is a Faunus._ Winter remembered staring at Blake last evening and getting some sort of odd feeling about her. _Well, not that I didn't need confirmation. She was not fooling me with that disguise of hers, and certainly not the general. The poor thing's probably paranoid about being here at Atlas...maybe that's why Professor Kobalt brought her along?_

"Ruby!" Ruby and Winter turned to see the rest of Team RWBY arriving, along with several similarly dressed Atlas Academy students.

"Hey you guys!" Ruby waved happily.

"Winter? You're here too?" Weiss was surprised to see her older sister.

"Do not mind me, Weiss." Winter shook her head. "I was here for some early morning practice. Little did I know, I'd be partaking in a conversation with your leader here."

Ruby nodded. "Have a nice day, all of you." Winter said to Team RWBY. "And please do keep in mind everything I advised you about yesterday."

With that, Winter left RWBY and the rest of the students. "What exactly were you talking with Winter about?" Weiss asked suspiciously. "You better have been professional."

"Of course I was." Ruby assured Weiss.

 _I probably shouldn't mention I almost blew Blake's secret though._ Ruby lamented inwardly. _That was...super not cool of me to do._

"Okay, line up!" A man appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "It's time to begin!"

"Whoa," Yang looked at her scroll, "we really are beginning at 6:00 AM sharp. These people are insanely punctual."

"That's Atlas for you." Blake sighed, rubbing her eyes, still clearly tired.

"Quiet down, all of you!" Team RWBY instinctively stood at attention at the sound of the Drill Sergeant's booming voice. The man continued. "Okay, maggots, normally I'd just kick right into our workouts, but since we have some new faces, I'm going to waste valuable time explaining how we do things here at Atlas Academy."

 _Are we seriously getting singled out already?_ Yang was surprised at this. _This place is brutal compared to Beacon._

"So! Drop and give me a hundred pushups, now! And maintain your form!" The drill sergeant yelled.

"One...hundred." Weiss blinked.

Ruby was already on the floor, ready to push up and down. "You are way too eager for this, Ruby." Blake heaved a sigh.

Ruby had a lot of pent up energy after her own training. She was going to expend all that energy. Though, even Ruby had to admit that Atlas' morning workouts were rather...excessive. Especially when one considered they had to do this every morning at 6 AM.

After going through a hundred pushups with that drill sergeant counting them all out, they were asked to do a hundred crunches. The drill sergeant counted those out as well. A hundred jumping jacks next. A hundred squats And then, to wrap it all up, Team RWBY was running a 10k run with the rest of Atlas' student body.

As the Beacon Team ran with the Atlas students, each of them, with the exception of Ruby, could not help but notice that several students were glaring at them throughout the run. Yang could not help but glare back.

 _Guess they didn't get the memo that this whole thing was about cooperation._ She noted inwardly. _Can't help but wonder why they're so pissed at us. Is it because of me? Is it because Weiss' company smashes a lot of the competition, like with that Flynt guy? Or are they just petty for whatever reason?_

When the 10k run was finally complete, Yang, Weiss and Blake were panting, nearly hunched over, but thankfully able to stay upright to better catch their breath. Ruby, however, was still upright and surprisingly in a chipper mood. "I swear, Rubes," Yang panted, "you are in a perpetual state of sugar rush."

Ruby giggled. "Well, all those cookies had to amount to something, right?" She joked. "And besides, you saw me training this morning, didn't ya? I had some extra time after waking up, so I decided to take a little initiative."

"I guess I should be glad you're taking things so seriously." Weiss groaned, the closest to actually falling over.

"Ten minute break!" The drill sergeant yelled. "Catch your breath and change into school uniforms! You have classes to attend!"

"Could do without his screaming." Yang muttered to herself. "Gosh, I can't believe I'm about to admit this, but I'm starting to miss Oobleck's tedious lectures and Port's hammy storytelling."

"Are you kidding me?" replied an outraged Blake Blake, "Oobleck and Port are worse; at least this drill sergeant has the discipline to end class on time!"

Remembering the various times Oobleck got carried away with his signature tangents, Yang agreed and further commented, "Oh yeah, now that you mention it, we do have a habit of repeatedly losing five to ten minutes of breaktime to Oobleck's rants."

"Five to ten minutes that could have been spent on reading and napping," lamented Blake.

"Five to ten minutes that could have been spent on eating cookies," lamented Ruby.

"Five to ten minutes that could have been spent on additional studying for the upcoming pop quiz," lamented Weiss.

It was then that Team RWBY's other members turned their heads towards Weiss in brief shock, having been thrown off guard by her buzzkill of an answer.

Teasingly shaking her head, Yang said, "You need to get out more, Weiss. Anyway, the point still stands, I can do without Drill Sergeant Nasty's screaming."

"You're at a military academy, Xiao Long." A familiar voice pointed out. "I don't know what you expected."

Team RWBY turned to see Hansel Kobalt standing before them with his arms folded. Ruby smiled. "Professor Kobalt!" She said chipperly. "Good morning!"

Hansel raised an eyebrow at Ruby's energy. "Uh, yeah, good morning." He said. "Just thought I'd check in with you four before I start my own investigation. You girls doing okay so far? Adjusting well? Haven't started any fights yet, have ya?"

"Are you seriously asking us that? You're not our dad ya know." Yang frowned. "And for the record, I'm still pissed at you for getting to stay at an awesome hotel while we're stuck in bunk beds that are hard as concrete."

"We're doing fine, Professor." Ruby quickly assured him before he and Yang started arguing again.

"Good," Hansel nodded, "you four shouldn't expect to see me again for the rest of the day unless it's lunch and dinner time. I'm going to be busy the rest of the day."

"Professor Kobalt!" Hansel looked over his shoulder to see Winter Schnee approaching him.

"Oh, it's you." Hansel nodded. "You're Winter, right? Schnee's older sister?"

"People respect rank around here, Professor Kobalt." Winter shook her head. "I must insist that you refer to me as 'Specialist Schnee', to avoid any issues. There are people here who take rank very seriously, almost to an extreme. If people heard you refer to me by name so casually..."

"Fine, fine," Hansel sighed, "so, Specialist, what are you doing here, exactly?"

"General Ironwood assigned me to aid you in your...affairs here at Atlas Academy." Winter glanced at Team RWBY, trying to maintain secrecy. "For the rest of this week, we'll be working closely together."

"Ice Queen Senior working with Teach? That's not a recipe for disaster at all." Yang whispered into Blake's ears, who just groaned at Yang's behavior.

Hansel sighed, noting Winter's attempts at secrecy. "Specialist, it's fine, they already know about the other reason I'm here."

"You should be more secretive about your duties, Professor. Especially around people who are technically civilians." Winter reminded him.

"You really don't get it, Specialist." Hansel sighed again. "These four will just get in the way if I _don't_ say anything. Telling them will make sure they stay out of this."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Winter eyed Team RWBY suspiciously.

"It's nothing important." Hansel assured her. "Now come on, you've got some stuff to show me so that we can get started, yeah? I'd like to start now so that we can get this done before the week's up. And these girls still have classes."

"...Right, of course." Winter nodded.

"You four behave yourselves." Hansel ordered as he began leaving with Winter.

Yang instinctively stuck her tongue out at Hansel, making Weiss smack her across the head. "Come on, break is almost over." Weiss told her. "We need to get changed and get ready for class."

Inside the changing room, Team RWBY found themselves with their own space, changing into their school uniforms. "So, be real with me, Weiss." Yang said, buttoning up her dress shirt. "How long is it before Teach starts arguing with your sister?"

Weiss sighed, adjusting the ribbon around her collar. "I have no idea what you're talking about. There will be no such thing happening." She promised. "My sister is a consummate professional."

"Didn't she get into a fight with Ruby and Yang's uncle?" Blake reminded her shrugging her blazer on.

"A fight Uncle Qrow totally won by the way." Ruby grinned, sitting on the benches and pulling up her stockings.

"It was a draw." Weiss insisted with a frown. "And that was a fight he provoked. Winter won't argue with Professor Kobalt as long as he himself stays diplomatic. And since this mission is of great importance to the professor, I think he'll be taking this very seriously."

"Well, even if Uncle Qrow did drunkenly provoke Ice Queen Senior, she kinda retaliated and escalated the whole thing." Yang grinned, placing her feet on a bleacher to pull on her own stocking.

Suddenly, a student at Atlas 'accidentally' bumped right into Yang, making her lose her balance and fall on her rear unceremoniously. "Hey!" Yang yelled, eyes turning red.

The student gave Yang a mock look of concern. "Oh, sorry." She clearly did not mean that apology before heading for the exit with a group of friends.

Blake sighed and moved to help Yang up, only for Yang to get up on her own, still glaring at the girl that clearly bumped into her on purpose. Her hands clenched into a fist. "Easy there, Blondie." A familiar voice suddenly spoke up. "Picking a fight here? Bad idea for you four."

Team RWBY turned to see a familiar girl with multicolored hair and a cat tail. She was vastly underdressed compared to them. Probably had taken her time in the showers and was just now getting dressed.

"Oh!" Weiss gasped, recognizing the girl. "It's you! From the tournament! Neon, right?"

Neon Katt of Team FNKI grinned. "Yep," she said, "long time no see, Schnee, Blondie. Offer is still open to party sometime, for the record."

"The hell do you mean I shouldn't pick a fight here?" Yang asked.

Neon grinned. "Ain't it obvious? They're hazing you just like they've hazed everyone else who first came here." She replied before giving a slight frown and adding. "Though, considering that you're from Beacon, they're probably going to do much worse."

"What? They don't like that we're from Beacon?" Ruby was surprised.

Neon chuckled. "You need to pay attention to the news, Shortstack." She said. "In a hierarchy of popularity, Beacon's at the tippy-top, and Atlas is dead last. We've seriously lost the beat after the Vytal Festival. Everyone's a little peeved about the whole thing."

"You don't seem too bothered by that." Weiss admitted.

Neon ignored Weiss and continued. "Point being, you're gonna have to expect this kind of stuff. Just let it wash off your backs like the showers here and you'll be just fine."

"Have you been hazed, Neon?" Blake asked curiously.

"Huh? Of course. We all were as first years. Flynt, Kobalt, Ivori, me. We all had to deal with it. It's a little outdated sometimes, but when you're trying to become a professional Huntsman at a military school that heavily encourages service after graduation...well, it's just one of those things we tolerate to separate the ones who can handle it and the ones who can't."

"I...guess what I'm trying to ask is, was your hazing particularly brutal because you were a Faunus?" Blake uncomfortably asked.

Weiss instinctively shot Blake a glare for trying to cause trouble. Neon shook her head. "Are you kidding?" She grinned. "If any of the drill sergeants found out that Faunus were being hazed for being Faunus, the upperclassmen would get worse workouts as punishment."

"R-really?" Blake was surprised at this.

"Worst thing I've experienced were a couple of glares and some bad Faunus jokes during lunch hours." Neon admitted. "But for real though, I don't have the time or the energy to care about those guys."

"Could've fooled me." Weiss muttered.

"Here at Atlas Academy, attitudes like that tend to get stamped out through basic training. Whether you're Faunus or human, once you graduate, you're in the army." Neon explained.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Ever heard the old saying that you'll never meet an atheist in a foxhole?" Neon inquired. "Nowadays, you won't meet too many racists in one either. Soldiers who mistreat each other over something stupid like race tend to not last long, considering its our fellow soldiers who keep us alive."

Blake fell silent at this. Yang and Weiss both looked at Neon in disbelief, having plagued her for an airheaded thrillseeker. "Like I said, I know I'm going to deal with glares and bad jokes, it's just part of the gig. But if the whole world was against Faunus, gals like me wouldn't even be allowed to join the army and have the possibility of making a life for ourselves." Neon pointed out with a big smile. "As far as I'm concerned, that fact alone makes this school worth sticking around, and this world worth fighting for."

"Neon!" An official looking girl marched up to her from behind Team RWBY. "Why are you still in your underwear? You can't be late again, you fool."

"Gah! Oh crap!" Neon's eyes bugged out. "Sorry, Ciel! Er, nice talking to you, Team RWBY. I do hope we can party sometime if you've got a chance! And remember what I said about the hazing! Don't let it get to ya! Never miss a beat!"

Neon ran to her locker to grab her school uniform and get dressed. "That goes for you four as well." Ciel Soleil said to Team RWBY. "None of you want to be late to the first class of the day. It sets a poor tone for the rest of the day."

"Right, of course, thank you." Weiss replied on behalf of the rest of the team.

Ruby, for her part, could not look Ciel in the face as she finished dressing herself. She was Penny's old teammate, after all…

Meanwhile, Hansel found himself sitting across from Winter in her office. It was nowhere near as grand as Ironwood's, but it was still nice. The walls and floor were as white as her hair. Her desk was black. On the desk was a picture of a little girl with a much older woman. "Is that…" Hansel spoke up.

"Ah, my mother and me." Winter nodded. "This was...an old picture. I think I was five when it was taken. It was a happier time."

"Your sister talks a lot about you and your dad. But as far as I remember, she rarely mentions your mom." Hansel noted.

Winter sighed. "For good reason. Mother was once a wonderful and kind person. However, she has not had much of a presence in the lives of my siblings."

"Siblings?" Hansel raised an eyebrow, knowing about the one, not multiple.

"I have a younger brother as well, his name is Whitley." Winter acknowledged. "Anyway, with how she is now...it may be for the best she's not present. Mother has unfortunately become a rather...heavy drinker."

"That why you don't like Qrow much?" Hansel folded his arms.

"There are a lot of reasons to dislike Qrow Branwen, Professor." Winter told him before adding gently. "But...yes, I suppose being around that drunk drudges up some bad memories."

Hansel sighed. "That part I get." He acknowledged almost instinctively.

Winter took a deep breath, changing the subject. "Now then," she said, "I believe I owe you everything we currently have on this investigation?"

"Yeah," Hansel nodded, "the general sent me a bunch of files on the case last night. But there wasn't much to go on."

"Well, tell me what you know so far." Winter told him.

Hansel nodded again. He had memorized just about everything Ironwood had given him last night. "The incident took place three weeks ago." Hansel began. "Someone broke into your 'secret projects' vault, and made off with a wristband that was supposed to be mass-produced and placed on inmates to discourage running away, or they'd be injected with a necrotoxin."

Winter nodded. "Right now, there are no major suspects. Mainly because the security footage of the area around the vault had been corrupted. Currently, they suspect the perpetrator had placed a virus in the security system." Hansel continued.

Winter nodded once more. "At the moment, security has been increased around the vault to avoid a repeat of the incident. Furthermore, all Atlesian personnel with clearance to enter the vault are required to have a soldier accompanying them."

Hansel took a deep breath. "So, is that everything, or am I missing something?"

"Yes, that is everything." Winter replied.

Hansel nodded. "Okay, good," he said, "with how you've responded, you've at least managed to keep our perpetrator from doing this again. At least until they find a workaround to your new system."

"You expect them to do so?" Winter raised an eyebrow. "Even with heightened security?"

"I know they will. They found a way around your security before, they can do it again." Hansel promised. "These guys are persistent, Specialist. Trust me, I know."

"But there is one thing I'm still trying to understand," Hansel continued, "one thing the case files emphasized was the lack of suspects. Why? Are you telling me three weeks later you have no suspects for me to work with?"

Winter shook her head. "What about the guards that had been on duty during the first robbery? Weren't they able to tell you anything?"

"Both guards are dead." Winter responded bluntly. "Murdered."

Hansel was surprised. "What? Dead? Was it during the robbery?"

"It's...complicated." Winter admitted.

"Explain." Hansel ordered.

Winter sighed. "When the robbery first occurred, one guard: Private Richard Eerie, was killed. His throat was slashed and a look of surprise on his face...as though he had been ambushed, by someone he had never expected to do so."

"What about the other guard?" Hansel did not like where this was going.

"That was Private Bud Brunswick." Winter explained. "He vanished after the incident. He was actually the prime suspect."

Winter sighed. "We had been prepared for a major manhunt all across Atlas, even in Mantle if necessary. But of course, the first place we checked was Private Brunswick's apartment, which he returns to whenever he's on leave. He was...kind of a green recruit. He had probably thought he'd have more time to experience the good parts of Atlas, so he bought an apartment he could use during his time off from the army. Poor fool didn't realize how bad an investment that actually was. Anyway, we went to Brunswick's apartment...and that was when we found him dead as well."

"A murder-suicide then." Hansel concluded, disappointed that the trail might be going cold. "Either that or someone higher up at Gray Jackal decided to silence him."

Winter shook her head. "If it was a suicide, then Brunswick picked quite the way to go out." She muttered with a grim tone. "Though if someone at Gray Jackal did silence him...they are quite brutal in silencing those who outlive their usefulness."

"What happened?" Hansel asked.

"Brunswick...his face had been ripped off from his body." Winter admitted.

Hansel, to his credit, felt sick to his stomach upon hearing this. "His face? He ripped off his face to kill himself?"

"More specifically, the skin." Winter explained. "It was...an unpleasant sight. I can imagine even a sewer rat would've vomited upon seeing the state that Bud Brunswick had been left in. All that was left was the muscles, his skull, and a look of terror etched on his face."

"Any other wounds?" Hansel asked. "What about an autopsy report? Surely there must've been something to explain Brunswick's death?"

"There were signs of a struggle." Winter acknowledged. "We were able to tell as much during the autopsy. His neck showed signs of being grabbed violently. However...not tight enough to strangle."

"An untraceable poison then?" Hansel suggested.

"We entertained the thought, but we just don't know, Professor." Winter admitted. "Whoever killed Brunswick...they're a professional. We even interviewed the people around the neighborhood and they simply could not place anyone or anything at the scene of the crime. The only thing that was even relatively out of the ordinary was that a woman often visited Brunswick...with how often she visited, all the other tenants wrote her off as his girlfriend. But...Professor, there is something else I feel I should point out to you. The time of death makes this even more complicated."

"What do you mean?"

"Bud Brunswick...was found to have died a week before the robbery." Winter revealed, shocking Hansel.

"A week? That's impossible, you're telling me a zombie killed your other man?"

"It's certainly a mystery, isn't it?" Winter mused. "But that was what the coroner had said. He was dead long before the robbery."

"What the fuck…" Hansel muttered to himself.

"And there was more, we managed to procure Brunswick's personal items, such as his scroll." Winter noted. "He was...a very private and shy young man. He didn't have many contacts outside of his family. Not a single contact could've been a possible girlfriend."

"And what about this woman? Were you able to track her down?"

Winter fell silent at this. Hansel gaped at Winter in disbelief. "You're kidding...she's dead too?" Hansel said in shock.

Winter nodded. "She was identified as a previous murder victim from a completely different case. However, her body had been found in a similar state. The skin on her face had been ripped off. However, that was where the similarities ended. Her throat had been slashed and her guts had been torn from her stomach. We suspect she died of those injuries and then her face had been taken."

"Fuck." Hansel muttered in disgust.

Winter sighed. "Indeed," she acknowledged, "that victim was identified as Blanche Amaranth, a local prostitute. That itself torpedoed the idea of her being Brunswick's girlfriend. Brunswick was shy, but he was also well-known for being a clean cut kid. No way he would date a prostitute. That was what his comrades said."

"You do realize what this means, right?" Hansel asked, the gears in his head turning. "Whoever's doing this is stealing faces of people they've killed. Must be some kind of Semblance."

Winter nodded. "We were able to discern that much." She acknowledged.

"And you still weren't able to come up with any suspects?" Hansel asked.

Winter shook her head. "My apologies, Professor," she said, "all our leads have died. All we have to go on is whoever this mystery face-thief is."

"Sheesh," Hansel rubbed his head, "I swear I read a comic book that had a villain like this when I was a kid…"

Hansel sighed. "Okay," he said, "guess that means we've just gotta go back to square one. If one lead dies, that means you have to backtrack and start over until you can find a new lead. Specialist, can you show me whatever's left of the security footage the night the tech was stolen, real quick?"

Winter nodded and turned her monitor towards Hansel. She quickly cued up the footage. Hansel's eyes widened. It was so...ordinary. Two guards showed up-Brunswick and Eerie-to the vault for their shift. And they just...stood there. No one else came along. No one spoke with them. They just stood there, occasionally making small talk. And then, all of a sudden, the footage was replaced with snow and static.

"And that, as you can see, is when the virus goes to work."

"Have you been able to figure anything out about the virus?" Hansel asked curiously.

Winter shook her head. "It deleted all its source code when it was done. Must've been part of the programming."

Hansel sighed. "Like I said," he said, "we're going back to square one."

"What do you mean?" Winter asked curiously.

"Specialist, how many people have clearance into the vault?" Hansel asked.

"Six." Winter replied. "General Ironwood and five military scientists who answer directly to the general."

Hansel nodded. "Alright then, inform the general that as of now, he and those five scientists are prime suspects."

Winter instinctively shot out of her chair at this. "General Ironwood is not the perpetrator. He would never-"

"Specialist, I can't take any chances here. If Gray Jackal's allowed to continue doing this, who knows the kind of damage they can do. For all we know, Atlas could just be a test run. They could be planning other kinds of infiltrations to destabilize all four kingdoms. We need to stop them here, no matter what, even if it means treating a respected public figure like General Ironwood as a prime suspect."

Winter fell silent. "Now, I want you to send me all the files you have on those scientists." Hansel ordered. "Furthermore, get me all the security footage of the night of the robbery, along with security footage of the vault entrance in the month leading up to the robbery."

"Why?" Winter asked.

"I want to see who was going in and out the most." Hansel replied. "That could maybe narrow it down. But that's a big maybe because it's only circumstantial. Can you get me all of this?"

Winter regained her composure and nodded. "Yes," she said, "General Ironwood has assigned me to aid you in this case, so I can."

Hansel nodded. "Good," he said, "for this to work, we need to ignore the connected murders for now. That clearly did not get who we were looking for. Do you understand, Specialist?"

"I do." Winter nodded.

"Okay then," he said, "then let's start by reviewing those files. I want to know everything about those five scientists. Afterwards, I want you to take me to the vault. I want to see it myself so that I can understand just how a mole pulled this off."

Winter nodded, still somewhat reeling over the fact that the boss she deeply respected was a suspect in this. Hansel, inwardly, was realizing something he simply could not tell Winter, for the sake of the mission and for the sake of cooperation.

It was not just Ironwood and those five scientists who were suspects.

Everyone was a suspect...

 **A.N: Man we go through a lot during these chapters, huh? Pure nightmare fuel for poor Hansel. Some humor with Team RWBY. And then, we get right back into the nightmare fuel as Hansel launches his investigation. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Stick around, because in celebration of 25 chapters being posted, I've got something a little special for next chapter.**


	27. Chapter 27: 1st Databook

**A.N: Hey there, everyone, in celebration of Wild Hunt's first 25 chapters, we're releasing the very first "Wild Hunt Databook" where we visit the statistics of major characters, certain aspects of their personalities, etc. Hope everyone enjoys these quick insights before we get back to our regularly scheduled programming.**

 **Ruby Rose**

Age: 15

Birthday: October 31

Occupation: Student Huntress, "Legendary Devourer of Cookies"

 **Stats**

Offense: 5/10

Aura: 5/10

Mobility: 6/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 5/10

Purity: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Sweets, heroes, her family, her friends, comic books, cute things

Dislikes: Injustice, villainy, needles, Salem's Faction, dentists, having her artistic vision questioned, being reminded of her mother's fate

Person she wants to fight the most: Ruby wants rematches with Cinder Fall and Hansel Kobalt

Person she respects the most: Qrow Branwen

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Hansel Kobalt

Her dream: Becoming a great Huntress and a hero.

Most embarrassing moment: When she first picked up and used Crescent Rose.

Biggest Regret: Failing to save Penny.

VA: Lindsey Jones

 **Hansel Kobalt**

Age: 18

Birthday: May 9

Occupation: Professional Huntsman and Professor

 **Stats**

Offense: 8/10

Aura: 8/10

Mobility: 7/10

Intelligence: 7/10

Semblance: 8/10

Determination: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Cooking, video games, manga and comic books, animals, Glynda Goodwitch, Professor Ozpin

Dislikes: Hospitals, sleep, the dark, his family, himself, James Ironwood, Gray Jackal

Person he wants to fight the most: Hansel wants to fight anyone from Gray Jackal...who specifically? None of your damn business.

Person he respects the most: Professor Ozpin

Person he doesn't want to make any enemy out of: Glynda Goodwitch

His dream: Destroying Gray Jackal

Most embarrassing moment: The time he opened up to Glynda about his crush.

Biggest regret: Being born

Dream VA: Billy Kametz

 **Weiss Schnee**

Age: 17

Occupation: Student Huntress, Heiress, Aspiring Valedictorian

 **Stats**

Offense: 5/10

Aura: 4/10

Mobility: 5/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 6/10

Tsundere: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Cute things, fancy meals, her cake butler, her sister, her friends

Dislikes: Her father, the current White Fang, unprofessional behavior, not being paid attention to

Person she wants to fight the most: Weiss wants to fight her sister.

Person she respects the most: Her sister

Person she does not want to make an enemy of: Ruby Rose

Her dream: Redeeming the Schnee Family name.

Her biggest regret: Her past treatment of her teammates, especially Ruby and Blake.

VA: Kara Eberle

 **Blake Belladonna**

Age: 18

Occupation: Student Huntress

 **Stats**

Offense: 5/10

Aura: 4/10

Mobility: 6/10

Intelligence: 5/10

Semblance: 5/10

Bookworm: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Cat stuff, fish, her family, her friends, justice

Dislikes: The current White Fang, dogs, injustice, vacuum cleaners, water, "unauthorized snuggles"

Person she wants to fight the most: Blake does not want to fight anyone in particular.

Person she respects the most: Her father

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Yang Xiao Long

Her dream: Creating a more equal and just world. Also to one day embark on a trip across Remnant to sample the finest fish dishses.

Most embarrassing moment: The time her ears started twitching uncontrollably around her first crush.

Her biggest regret: Failing to notice Adam's fall to darkness.

VA: Arryn Zech

 **Yang Xiao Long**

Age: 18

Occupation: Student Huntress, "Certified Pungeon Master Badass"

 **Stats**

Offense: 6/10

Aura: 6/10

Mobility: 5/10

Intelligence: 4/10

Semblance: 4/10

Burning Passion: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Partying, her family, her friends, her motorcycle, fighting, adventure, puns

Dislikes: Someone touching her hair, bad dates, nobody laughing at her jokes

Person she wants to fight the most: Yang wants to fight Adam Taurus.

Person she respects the most: Ruby Rose

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Qrow Branwen

Her dream: Seeing her little sister 'reach the top.'

Most embarrassing moment: Her first haircut.

Her biggest regret: The time she endangered Ruby.

VA: Barbara Dunkleman

 **Jaune Arc**

Age: 18

Occupation: Student Huntsman

 **Stats**

Offense: 3/10

Aura: 6/10

Mobility: 3/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 3/10

Potential: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: His friends, superhero movies, Weiss

Dislikes: Bullies, being useless

Person he wants to fight the most: Jaune does not want to fight anyone in particular.

Person he respects the most: Pyrrha Nikos

Person he does not want to make an enemy out of: Hansel Kobalt

His dream: Becoming a great Huntsman like his grandfather.

Most embarrassing moment: His sisters dressing him up as a girl.

Biggest regret: Forging his transcripts.

VA: Miles Luna

 **Pyrrha Nikos**

Age: 18

Occupation: Student Huntress

 **Stats**

Offense: 6/10

Aura: 6/10

Mobility: 5/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 6/10

Role Model: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Jaune, her friends, her aunt, romance movies

Dislikes: Her fame, Pumpkin Pete Cereal, loneliness

Person she wants to fight the most: Pyrrha wants to fight Gin Byakko and Chrysos Agamemnon

Person she respects the most: Circe Ithaca

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Jaune Arc

Her dream: Living a simple, fame-free life.

Most embarrassing moment: Her first press conference

Biggest regret: Taking her first sponsorship deal.

VA: Jen Brown

 **Nora Valkyrie**

Age: 17

Occupation: Student Huntress, "Undisputed Pancake-Eating Champion"

 **Stats**

Offense: 6/10

Aura: 6/10

Mobility: 4/10

Intelligence: 4/10

Semblance: 5/10

Energy: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Ren, her friends, pancakes, syrup

Dislikes: Bullies, the Grimm, people who flirt with Ren

Person she wants to fight the most: Nora wants to fight anyone who tries to steal her man.

Person she respects the most: Pyrrha Nikos

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Lie Ren

Her dream: Ren

Most embarrassing moment: Belching in front of Ren

Biggest regret: Not breaking Cardin's legs before Jaune made peace with him.

VA: Samantha Ireland

 **Lie Ren**

Age: 17

Occupation: Student Huntsman

 **Stats**

Offense: 5/10

Aura: 4/10

Mobility: 6/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 4/10

Tranquility: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Nora, his friends, cooking, tea

Dislikes: Guys who flirt with Nora, bullies, the Grimm, his own cowardice

Person he wants to fight the most: Ren wants to fight anyone who threatens the innocent

Person he respects the most: His father

Person he does not want to make an enemy out of: Nora Valkyrie

His dream: Nora

Most embarrassing moment: Falling down several flights of stairs after Nora bragged about his 'grace' to a bunch of people.

Biggest regret: His past cowardice

VA: Neath Oum

 **Glynda Goodwitch**

Age: 42

Occupation: Teacher, Deputy Headmistress, Professional Huntress

 **Stats**

Offense: 8/10

Aura: 7/10

Mobility: 8/10

Intelligence: 8/10

Semblance: 9/10

Motherly Instinct: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Discipline, art, her foster son, her students

Dislikes: Unruly behavior, people who threaten Hansel, perverts, villainy, the song 'Hot For Teacher'

Person she wants to fight the most: Glynda would prefer not to share who she wishes to fight.

Person she respects the most: Professor Ozpin

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Professor Ozpin

Her dream: Seeing her foster son happy and healthy.

Most embarrassing moment: The time she tried to clean an entire room with her Semblance...it ended up straight out of the Sorcerer's Apprentice.

Biggest regret: Letting Hansel involve himself in Ozpin's crusade.

VA: Kathleen Zuelch

 **Professor Ozpin**

Age: Unknown

Occupation: Headmaster, Professional Huntsman

 **Stats**

Offense: 10/10

Aura: 10/10

Mobility: 10/10

Intelligence: 10/10

Semblance: 10/10

Mentoring: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Cocoa, his students, his allies, his apprentice, unity

Dislikes: Salem's faction, people who threaten his students, divisions

Person he wants to fight the most: Ozpin wants to fight Salem

Person he respects the most: His predecessor

Person he does not want to make an enemy out of: Hansel Kobalt and his fellow headmasters.

His dream: Peace

Most embarrassing moment: Accidentally triggering one of his own "landing strategy" traps in front of his students.

Biggest regret: Too many to count.

VA: Shannon McCormick

 **Qrow Branwen**

Age: 40

Occupation: Professional Huntsman, 'Cool Uncle'

 **Stats**

Offense: 8/10

Aura: 8/10

Mobility: 9/10

Intelligence: 8/10

Semblance: 7/10

Alcoholism: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: His nieces, a good drink, hot women

Dislikes: His old tribe, his sister, people threatening his family, stupid blondes that don't know how to share.

Person he wants to fight the most: Qrow wants to fight his sister.

Person he respects the most: Professor Ozpin

Person he does not want to make an enemy out of: Taiyang Xiao Long

His dream: Finally getting to settle down and live a peaceful life

Most embarrassing moment: Bah! Qrow Branwen doesn't get embarrassed.

Biggest regret: Would rather not talk about it.

VA: Vic Mignogna (always and forever)

 **Velvet Scarlatina**

Age: 18

Occupation: Student Huntress

 **Stats**

Offense: 6/10

Aura: 5/10

Mobility: 6/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 6/10

Cuteness: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Carrots, her friends, cute boys, rabbits, animated movies

Dislikes: Bullies, scary movies,

Person she wants to fight most: Velvet does not want to fight anyone in particular

Person she respects the most: Hansel Kobalt

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Too many to list.

Her dream: Using her money as a Huntress to support her hometown.

Most embarrassing moment: The time she went shopping with Coco for lingerie and swimsuits...none of those should count as lingerie and swimsuits.

Biggest regret: Not doing more to help her parents with money as a child.

VA: Caiti Ward

 **Coco Adel**

Age: 19

Occupation: Student Huntress and Internet Personality

 **Stats**

Offense: 6/10

Aura: 6/10

Mobility: 5/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 5/10

Fashion Sense: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Fashion, shopping deals, her friends, hot guys, hot girls, a good latte

Dislikes: Bullies, bad fashion, ripoffs, knockoff brands, badly made lattes

Person she wants to fight the most: Coco wants to fight her internet rival: Mista Fashionista...oh, you meant the real kind of fight? Oh…

Person she respects the most: Velvet Scarlatina

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Glynda Goodwitch

Her dream: Wealth and fame as a Huntress.

Most embarrassing moment: A 'fashion show' she put on for her parents as a child...she knows better now what real fashion is.

Biggest regret: Failing to appreciate how good she had it as a kid.

VA: Ashley Burns

 **Adam Taurus**

Age: 24

Occupation: "Terrorist"

 **Stats**

Offense: 7/10

Aura: 7/10

Mobility: 7/10

Intelligence: 5/10

Semblance: 7/10

Vengeance: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Himself, the White Fang, his 'justice'

Dislikes: Traitors, humans, the Belladonnas, Blake's friends, Hansel Kobalt

Person he wants to fight the most: Adam wants to fight Blake Belladonna and a rematch with Hansel Kobalt

Person he respects the most: Sienna Khan

Person he does not want to make an enemy out of: Salem

His dream: Bringing humanity to heel

Most embarrassing moment: None

Biggest regret: Not keeping Blake

VA: Garrett Hunter

 **Cinder Fall**

Age: 22

Occupation: "World's Greatest Criminal Mind", "Queen of Nefarious Plans",

 **Stats**

Offense: 8/10

Aura: 8/10

Mobility: 7/10

Intelligence: 9/10

Semblance: 8/10

Planning: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Vintage wine, herself, power, obedience

Dislikes: Her enemies, disobedience, losing control

Person she wants to fight the most: Cinder wants rematches with Ruby Rose and Hansel Kobalt

Person she respects the most: Salem

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: No one in particular

Her dream: The power of a Maiden

Most embarrassing moment: Do not presume to ask her such!

Biggest regret: Do you want to die?

VA: Jessica Nigri

 **Emerald Sustrai**

Age: 20

Occupation: Thief

 **Stats**

Offense: 6/10

Aura: 6/10

Mobility: 7/10

Intelligence: 6/10

Semblance: 7/10

Devotion: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Cinder, playing tricks

Dislikes: People who threaten Cinder, the wealthy, her family (wherever they are)

Person she wants to fight the most: Emerald wants to fight Hansel Kobalt for hurting Cinder

Person she respects the most: Cinder Fall

Person she does not want to make an enemy out of: Cinder

Her dream: Cinder's recognition

Most embarrassing moment: None of your business

Biggest regret: And none of your business

VA: Katie Newville

 **Mercury Black**

Age: 20

Occupation: Assassin

 **Stats**

Offense: 7/10

Aura: 6/10

Mobility: 7/10

Intelligence: 5/10

Semblance: 0/10

Smugness: 10/10

 **Notes**

Likes: Fighting, 'magazines', killing, teasing

Dislikes: People who look down on him, performing maintenance on his legs, his father

Person he wants to fight the most: Mercury wants a rematch with Yang Xiao Long

Person he respects the most: Cinder Fall

Person he does not want to make an enemy out of: Cinder Fall

His dream: Recognition from his bastard of a father.

Most embarrassing moment: Going through x-rays with his prosthetic legs.

Biggest regret: Not killing his dad sooner.

VA: Yuri Lowenthal

 **A.N: I actually struggled for a long time with what kind of voice I wanted Hansel to have. I went from Johnny Yong Boesch to Xander Mobus. And then I came across Billy Kametz' performance as Naofumi Iwatami in Rising of the Shield Hero. As I sat through and listened and watched, at one point I think I actually yelled at Naofumi: "That's Hansel!"**

 **Now, I also feel as though I should address what I wrote with Qrow and his VA. Guys, I can tell you how I feel about that particular situation, but I'm going to stay professional and simply state that regardless of my own opinions, I feel that Vic is the better Qrow. That's nothing against Jason Liebrecht. He was practically put in an unwinnable situation and I feel bad for him for that. However, Ryuzaki and I talked about it, and we both agreed that Vic is still the better voice for Qrow. So, please, stay civil with each other. I know the past year has really torn this community to shreds, but let's not let ourselves tear it apart further. I have faith in all of you.**


End file.
